


light that burns the sky

by shamusiel



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), モブサイコ100 | Mob Psycho 100
Genre: Action, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Autistic Kageyama "Mob" Shigeo, Eventual Romance, M/M, Mutual Pining, Past Abuse, Pokemon AU, Trans man Reigen, autistic serizawa, everyone's got a pokémon!, i guess there's some action to come, recovering from trauma, slow burn sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-11-06 08:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17936129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shamusiel/pseuds/shamusiel
Summary: When Reigen hires a man that had recently escaped from the ranks of a terrorist organization, he figured that would be the last exciting thing in his life for a while. Up until a stranger dumps a mysterious Pokémon into their care, and the dangerous Claw would doanythingto get their hands on it, while Shigeo Kageyama has his own run-ins with Pokémon of mysterious origin. Maybe it all ties together.





	1. morning sun

**Author's Note:**

> un-beta'd so you have to deal with my mistakes like i do every day.

When Reigen first meets Serizawa, he isn’t sure what to feel, what to _think._

The man towers over him but the aura he exudes makes him feel so much smaller. Frightened, uncertain, warily eyeing Reigen with one hand gripping a ruined umbrella tight. A Sentret around his shoulders, front paws in his dark, unkempt black curls as it peeks over the top of his head. A sight to see, so tired and wide-eyed and fidgety and Reigen can't help but feel an almost overwhelming pang of _sympathy_.

Mob stands close behind, watchful, so very careful not to intrude too much on this nervous stranger's space.

Reigen, on the other hand, immediately takes his free hand and guides him inside.

He makes him tea, introduces himself, talks and talks and talks until some of that tension seeped from Serizawa’s shoulders- but he still grips onto that utterly destroyed umbrella as if it were a lifeline. His Sentret had curled up in his lap and he uses one hand to stroke through its brown fur. From the perch in the corner of the office, Reigen’s Swablu watches with one eye cracked open.

“So you’re from Claw,” Reigen muses aloud. “Can we trust you?”

“I--” Serizawa swallows, looks down for a few brief moments, and then back up. “Yes! I… I hurt people. Because the President told me to. He promised me so much and he-- he lied to me, he tricked me and...  I- I just want… I want to make it right and I want- friends. I want to be part of… society.”

“Right, right, I see,” Reigen props his chin up in his palm and observes Serizawa closely, noting how the man won’t look him in the eyes, how he fidgets, how he subtly rocks back and forth. “Where’s the… President now?”

“He was gone before I could reach him,” Mob, who had been mostly silent until now, admits. “I don’t know where he went.”

 _Like a coward._ Reigen lets out a soft _tch_ and scratches at an itch on his jaw.

“Would you know, Serizawa?” He presses. It’s not like he can _do_ anything himself, especially not against a villainous group with powerful psychic abilities and equally powerful Pokémon on their side. But Mob could, he thinks, if no one else could. And every little bit of information helps.

“No. I’m sorry.”

“Why apologize? It isn’t your fault.” Reigen can’t help but reach out and lightly touch Serizawa’s arm. Immediately, the man jerks back in surprise, eyes wide with alarm. Reigen withdraws his hand quickly and makes a mental note _not_ to touch without permission. “Say, Serizawa. If you really want to be a part of society and make friends… you could work for me. We could use your…” He fishes around in his brain for the right word, but settles on the most obvious choice, “...expertise. Once we can get you to properly control your powers, that is.”

More than one esper working at his agency would be more than handy, since Mob wasn’t always around, and his own Pokémon’s abilities weren’t always strong enough to cover up his lack of powers.

Serizawa perks up, his dark eyes holding what looks like a glimmer of hope. “Why me? After all, I’m a- I’m a bad pers--”

“-- No. No, you’re not. You left that life, didn’t you? You want to be better, don’t you? Those aren’t the qualities of a bad person. Right, Mob?”

“Right, Master.”

“Being a good person- that means taking responsibility, growing and learning from your mistakes. Even good people make mistakes.” Reigen rubs the back of his neck. “That doesn’t make them any less good. Besides, you saved my student; that makes you a good person in my book.”

“I mean, I guess…” Serizawa rubs behind his Sentret’s ears and the Pokémon, which had appeared to be sleeping through the conversation, is suddenly very obviously awake and vigilant despite its closed eyes. “Then… yes! Yes, I’ll… I’ll work for you. I’ll do my best!”

“Great. First, we need to get you cleaned up.” This time when he reaches out he makes sure Serizawa is looking and to his relief he doesn’t pull back. Reigen rests his hand on his elbow. “It’s good to have you, Serizawa.”

And for the first time that day, Serizawa gives him a smile so bright it may very well rival the sun.

 

\---

 

It’s been [two weeks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y5kaNbVgeo) since Reigen and Serizawa met, two weeks since Mob’s first strike on Team Claw, and there is a thick air of anticipation and restlessness that lingers in the office, in their homes, and he still catches Serizawa looking over his shoulder constantly. Nervous eyes glancing about his surroundings, surveying like he’s trying to pinpoint each and every exit in case of an emergency. Creating some kind of plan. Reigen doesn’t usually say anything about it, he just watches him. He’ll gladly provide guidance for Serizawa, if Serizawa asks of course, but he isn’t going to hold his hand.

At least he looks much healthier now, happier even. With his once tangled, messy hair cut short and neat, his face shaved clean from its patchy facial hair. The lines under his eyes remain, but the shadows there aren’t as dark. He was able to abandon his wrecked umbrella, but Reigen could still see his fingers twitching as if he still longed for it sometimes. He is kind to their clients, and so very eager to please. Even Reigen’s Pokémon instantly took to him, Arcanine had nearly bowled him over in excitement upon their first meeting and assaulted his face in messy licks while Serizawa laughed.

And much to Reigen’s embarrassment, that laugh made his heart do a funny little thing in his chest. He ignores it, for now, knows it’s best that he remains professional.

“Good work today,” he says with a pat to Serizawa’s shoulder. Swablu drifts over, like a lazy little cloud, and settles herself on top of Reigen’s head as she’s wont to do. She coos happily when Serizawa rubs his index finger beneath her beak. The display makes Reigen’s heart do that funny little thing again. “Want to get ramen before we head home?”

Serizawa managed to get a cozy little apartment in the same complex as Reigen, with Reigen’s help, of course, and it made things much easier for them both. It also made the trips back home a little less lonely. He always had his Pokémon to keep him company, yes, but _human_ company was still so much different.

“Okay,” Serizawa says, and Reigen can’t help but smile. Quickly and quietly, they gather their things. Sentret hops up onto Serizawa’s shoulder and Swablu refuses to budge from Reigen’s head. They step out of the office onto the semi-busy street and Reigen locks up behind him.

When they walk it’s mostly silent, but it’s a comfortable kind of silence. Strange, how in such a short amount of time they’ve already found themselves at ease in one another's presence. He always worried, somewhere in the back of his head, that his personality may have been to… _strong_ for Serizawa, but as time went on Serizawa’s anxiety, while still present, seemed to die down. He was more relaxed, less jumpy, but there was still that bit of paranoia and worry in his eyes.

It takes a long time to heal, especially with what Serizawa had to go through. Reigen is happy to help if Serizawa would let him.

“Serizawa,” he says, keeping his eyes ahead. “How’ve you been enjoying work?”

“Oh,” Serizawa looks down, then ahead. “It’s good. I like helping people. It… feels a lot better than what I was doing before. Like my powers are used for something good now.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Reigen rolls his shoulders. “It’s nice to have company, since Mob can’t always be around. And Ekubo is, well… he’s…” His relationship with that odd, arrogant Ghost-type trainer that looks like he doesn’t get enough sleep is definitely… _complicated_.

“Do you have any other friends, Reigen-san?”

Heat rushes up his neck, to his cheeks, up to the tips of his ears. Reigen doesn’t look at Serizawa. “I have some acquaintances at a bar.”

“Oh,” Serizawa says, softly. And they lapse into silence again, but it feels much more awkward then. Reigen, meanwhile, is slapping himself mentally-- over and over, for saying something so _stupid._ Serizawa must think he’s some sort of alcoholic now, or just pathetic and lonely-- well, he wouldn’t be wrong about the latter, and-- “Well, I’ve met some new people to be my friends. Maybe I can introduce you.”

Reigen blinks, snapping his head up, and he doesn’t realize he’s stopped walking in the middle of the sidewalk until Serizawa is skidding to a stop a few feet ahead, looking over his shoulder. “Reigen-san?”

It takes a few moments for Reigen’s brain to catch up. Serizawa? Wanting to introduce him to people? Sure, Reigen’s natural _charisma_ and _charm_ ( _Ha!_ ) made talking to others easy, but making friends was a whole other thing. Was anyone truly ready to see what was underneath the many layers he has around his heart? Only his Pokémon have seen the _true_ Arataka Reigen, and Mob has only seen glimpses. It would take a goddamn jackhammer to break down those walls, and he was always terrified people wouldn’t like what they would find.

“Sure, that’d be great,” Reigen says, clumsily, and scampers forward to catch up with the other man.

“You’ve helped me,” Serizawa explains, falling in step beside Reigen. “I want to help you, too.”

“Trust me, I’m fine.” A lie. Serizawa clearly doesn’t buy it.

“Meet them soon, you’ll like them. And I think they’ll like you, too.”

“Mmhm,” Reigen hums. “Ah- we’re here.”

They eat in a silence that is comfortable once more, their Pokémon allowed in the fenced-in area outside to eat their own meals. Serizawa’s Ursaring keeps trying to wrestle with Reigen’s Arcanine, while their Sentret and Buneary squeak and chatter with one another as though they were gossiping like schoolgirls.

It feels nice to spend time with someone outside of work. It isn’t something he does often, even his few times at the bar with other patrons didn’t feel like much. And Serizawa has a good energy about him, so much that Reigen already feels guilt over lying to him. No psychic powers like he claims, just relying on him, Serizawa, and his Pokémon to do the work for them.

One day he’ll tell him. Not today.

When they finally reach the apartment complex, the sun has already gone down and the streetlights flicker on one by one. A stray Meowth scampers past them, pauses briefly, and Reigen thinks it must sense the presence of his own Meowth in the ball within his bag. But it runs off before he can do anything.

“Good night. See you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Reigen-san. Let’s walk together again tomorrow.”

Reigen can’t explain why his throat tightens and his face goes hot yet again.

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

 

\---

 

So they do.

They move about the office with ease, preparing everything for the day. Serizawa fumbles with the coffee maker while Sentret curls up on the couch. Swablu takes her usual spot on Reigen’s head and Reigen, as usual, remains unfazed by it as he opens his laptop to check his appointments.

“Slow day today,” he mumbles.

“That means there aren’t as many people in trouble,” Serizawa points out.

“I guess,” Reigen can’t help but grumble. He wants to follow it up with a but it’s _boring!_ but he _knows_ he would sound too much like a petulant child.

Their first client is at noon. She comes to them about how her shadow is supposedly haunted, and that even when it’s pitch black she can still see it and _swears_ it has eyes that glow red.  She’s convinced it’s something evil, sinister, out to get her, but…

“It’s just a Gengar,” Reigen says matter-of-factly. “No exorcizing needed, ma’am. But we can chase it off for you.”

“Ah-- yes, please!”

As if on cue, her shadow lurches, moves, tries to escape but Reigen is sending out his Meowth before the offending Ghost Pokémon can go anywhere. The feline shakes out its gray fur, and Reigen gives a simple command of _Night Slash_. Meowth disappears into the shadows, only to reappear a moment later behind Gengar, swiping out with sharp claws glowing purple. The opposing Pokémon gives a startled, angry gasp and snarl, but doesn’t fight back-- only phases through the window and out of sight. Hopefully for good.

She pays them maybe a little more than she should have for something that wasn’t even an exorcism, and Reigen feels a little bad about it, but she had been far too elated over them getting rid of the Ghost-type nuisance.

Serizawa smiles at him over the papers he’s filing and Reigen fills up his third cup of coffee for the day so far. The next appointment isn’t until four, and it’s their last appointment of the day. They still have a good three hours to kill.

“I should grab lunch. Want anything?”

“I don’t mind. I’ll stay here and watch the office,” Serizawa suggests. The convenience store is just down the street, after all, so it won’t take Reigen too long.

Except when he reaches for the doorknob, there’s a knock from the other side. Reigen blinks, confused and surprised since there were no more clients scheduled around this time and he doesn’t really _do_ walk-ins. But he still opens the door and finds a man standing there, wearing dark clothing, a hat casting a shadow over his face and making it difficult to see what he looks like.

“Sorry, I know you’re supposed to be a psychic, but I--” The man looks around anxiously, like he’s looking for someone, like he thinks he’s being _followed_. Reigen is automatically suspicious. “Listen, I have a Pokémon here that- that I really can’t take care of anymore. And, well, I figured you might be able to, with your capabilities and all.”

“This isn’t a daycare,” Reigen says flatly.

“I’ll pay you,” the man presses.

“I’ll do it,” Reigen replies without missing a beat.

“What’s with the change in attitude?” He hears Serizawa say to himself.

“Great, here.” The man fumbles around in his bag and retrieves a black Ball that looks rather worn, like it’s gone through a lot in its time. It’s pushed into Reigen’s hand, while a wad of cash is pushed into the other. Oh, Reigen wasn’t expecting to be paid in cash at all, but he isn’t complaining. He’ll have to deposit it at the bank later after he counts it. And makes sure it isn’t fake. “You’re a real help. Take good care of it for me.”

And before Reigen can say anything, the man is gone.

“What a shady guy,” he says, shutting the door with his shoulder.

The Poké Ball is set on the desk and Reigen sits, flipping through the Poké in his hand, counting, and his heartbeat accelerates when he sees the _amount_. He has to count it a second time and then a third to make sure he’s getting it right. “A hundred thousand Poké-- who was that guy? I can’t believe I almost turned him down…!”

“That’s great, Reigen-san,” Serizawa says. “You won’t have to worry too much about rent and food for a while.”

“Yeah, yeah, rent and food-- just, wow!”

Of course he’s going to give Serizawa and Mob a share of the money. He might not pay much otherwise, but he’s… not… _that_ cheap. At least, not all of the time.

“We should also see what’s in the Ball,” Serizawa points out, and Reigen’s attention goes from the money to the worn Poké Ball sitting on the desk. He squints at it.

“I’m sure it’s nothing too major. Maybe just an Eevee, or something.”

“I don’t know,” Serizawa says softly. He’s staring at the Ball, almost transfixed, and something about it begins to unnerve Reigen. He shifts uncomfortably in his chair. Being an esper, Serizawa _could_ sense things Reigen couldn’t. “Something doesn’t feel right. Be careful, Reigen-san.”

“R-right…” Reigen swallows, setting the money aside and reaching towards the Poké Ball. It grows in his hand, he closes his eyes and braces himself, then presses the button in the center. It bursts open with a beam of light, and he hears what was within before it properly materializes before them.

There is a rattling groan, almost like it was in pain. Muffled, echoed, labored breathing. Whatever it is rises to its full height in the center of the office, well over six feet tall, and it doesn’t look like _any_ Pokémon Reigen has ever seen before. It looks like a science experiment gone wrong, its face trapped in what looks like a horrifyingly painful mask, only its eyes visible. Its gray mane and the dark fur of its lower half are ruffled, and the green talons of its front legs are already creating scratches in the floor of the office.

Suddenly, Reigen understands why that guy seemed so eager to get rid of it.

It snarls and wheezes, its piercing gray eyes survey its surroundings, and before Reigen can say anything it lets out a cry of rage and begins to charge the short distance between them.

“Reigen-san--!” Serizawa shouts, jumping to his feet. Sentret squeaks in fear and Swablu lets out a piercing shriek.

He thanks every deity above that he still had the Ball in his hand, and that he was able to call the mystery Pokémon back before it could maul him.

And he thinks he might have a heart attack, his breathing coming out in short, panicked little gasps. He doesn’t know what happened, what he was looking at, why it was so angry and why it sounded like it was in so much pain and what it was about _him_ that made it attack. But what he does know is it was dangerous as all hell and he thinks he’s gotten himself into a situation far beyond his control.

Serizawa is at his side, a comfort. “Are you okay?”

Reigen, still frazzled, his eyes wide, can only blurt out, “What the hell _was_ that?!”

And then he faints.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *my booming voice* WHO'S THAT POKÉMON
> 
> i promise the next chapters will be more exciting i just wanted to get the introductory chapter out of the way
> 
> anyway i've been thinking of this au for a while and rambling about it on twitter a lot. and also to my friend tjesje who i'll give a big THANK YOU!!! to because we've been bouncing ideas off of each other and if it weren't for him i wouldn't be able to actually write this fic i don't think lmao
> 
> pretty much everyone listed in the tags has a team already planned for them, and i'll list them out in full in the end notes whenever they're introduced.
> 
> reigen: arcanine, swablu, alola meowth, buneary, venonat, sylveon.  
> serizawa: ursaring, pangoro, dedenne, grimer, wynaut, dragonite. + a sentret he doesn't battle with, it's more of a service pokémon.  
> mob: ralts, espurr, machop, espeon, hoppip, mimikyu.
> 
> thanks for reading!
> 
> [twitter](http://twitter.com/zhamusiel)  
> [tumblr](http://hellfirecitadel.tumblr.com)


	2. helping hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reigen wipes the back of his hand over his forehead and it’s then that Serizawa notices he’s _shaking_. It’s almost unnoticeable, but he sees it in the quiver of those expressive hands and in his tightened jaw. He’s terrified, even if he’s trying desperately to keep himself together.
> 
>  _I hope he knows he’s allowed to be scared around us,_ Serizawa thinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> un-beta'd as usual.

Shigeo wakes up with a restless feeling in his gut.

Something within him senses that there is something off - he just can’t quite place _what._ Maybe he’ll bring it up with Reigen later, after school and after club, since he’s expected to go in today. Serizawa has signed up for night classes that are meant to start soon, he’s heard, so he’s still expected to help whenever Serizawa can’t. Which is fine, because Reigen has been much more accommodating with his schedule now that Shigeo still has time for things outside of school and outside of work.

Except after the run-in with Claw, he’s been struggling with these restless, anxious feelings for the past few weeks. He had not yet been able to meet their leader, a man named _Touichirou Suzuki,_ a man that a certain boy with hair the color of fire, who “befriended” his brother, called his father. He had taken many of his followers and fled before Mob could reach him. But he was still out there, waiting, biding his time, and for once in his life, Shigeo doesn’t feel _safe._

He stretches and rubs his eyes, clambers off of his shikibuton and rolls it up. He goes through the usual motions: brushing his teeth, combing his hair down, changing into his school uniform. He eats a quick breakfast, feeds his own Pokémon, slips on his shoes, makes sure he has everything in his bag, and then leaves, his mother’s Mr. Mime waving to him on the way out. Ritsu has already left for school since he has his student council meetings, so Shigeo walks on his own. It’s still early, he’s sure his Pokémon wouldn’t be in the mood to be out of their Poké Balls except to eat.

There is one extra Ball, however; one he hasn’t opened yet, one he saved from Claw, and he has no idea what lies within other than its aura is strange, unfamiliar, like it was something entirely out of this world. He’s considered bringing it up to Reigen, maybe he will today. Maybe he will finally find out what rests within its confines and also apologize to it for keeping it cooped up in there for so long.

Something tells him it’s going to be a long day.

 

\---

 

“Mob-kun!”

The second he steps into the club room he’s immediately accosted by Tome, whose eyes are wide and shimmering. Her grip is iron on his shoulders, and while he’s gotten _used_ to her overexcitement he still really wishes she wouldn’t touch him without his permission so much.

“Ah, hello Tome-san,” he says, and even if he wanted to escape from her grasp he doesn’t think he could. “Can you please let me go?”

Thankfully she does, and Shigeo fishes around in his bag and pulls out one Ball. He releases the Pokémon inside, and his Ralts shyly approaches Tome’s Clefairy and Inukawa’s Zigzagoon.

“I finally heard, the other week, that shady group that was in the city--did you--”

“I don’t really know if I should talk about it,” Shigeo cuts in. “Their leader disappeared. So I don’t think they’re really gone.”

“Is it true they were using Pokémon not from- not from Earth?! I heard rumors--! Mob-kun, maybe I don’t need telepathy t--”

“No, I didn’t see anything.” Every Pokémon that he encountered from every Claw member that challenged him were regular Pokémon, to his knowledge. It’s not like he really had time to pull out a Pokédex for each one, but none of them _felt_ foreign in any way. But for a brief moment, his mind returns to the Ball in his bag. What if…

“Eh? You really have to stop killing my passion here.”

“It wouldn’t be nice to lie to you,” Shigeo replies.

“Well, you should tell us about it later.”

For a moment he thinks she sounds a little like Mezato, but his classmate has yet to approach him about his… involvement in running Claw out of the city ( for the time being ). Which he’s a little thankful for. The experience is still fresh in his mind, it’s still a heavy weight on his shoulders and he’s so _tired_. It won’t be the last he sees of Claw, he knows that, but he doesn’t know when they’ll strike again and if he’s really prepared. He had heard from his brother, who heard from that strange boy with red hair ( Shou, right, that was his name ), that their leader wasn’t to be trifled with so easily.

He’s finally able to slip away because he needs to change clothes for club. And for a while, as he runs with his club members, his Machop at his side, he lets himself forget. Forget about Claw, about the responsibility too heavy for him placed on his shoulders, about the foreign Poké Ball still sitting in his bag and whatever species might still be held within its confines.

 _I’m disappointed in you,_ he suddenly remembers Shou saying, and then he trips and falls flat on his face.

“Kageyama-kun, are you all right?” Musashi calls from far ahead, and Shigeo hurriedly pushes himself up to his feet.

“Y-yes…!”

And he resumes his run.

 

 **PROGRESS TOWARDS MOB’S EXPLOSION:** 17%

 

\---

 

The time between that day’s appointments is spent with Reigen staring at the mystery Pokémon’s Ball -- from across the room, of course, like he’s scared it will break out of the Ball itself and attack. Serizawa doesn’t think it will, and he had tried to tell Reigen to relax a little bit. To no avail of course. Well, he can’t really blame him. It’s only been a day since the odd creature was placed in their care, it’s only been a day since Reigen was nearly attacked by it.

They have to do something about it sooner or later. Serizawa thinks if Reigen won’t do anything, he’ll take matters into his own hands. That Pokémon… it sounded like it was in pain, and maybe… maybe even _scared._ And there is an ache in his chest when he thinks about it, and he wonders if anything he might be able to connect with it because he thinks he might be able to _understand._

“What are you going to do?” Serizawa asks, passing Reigen a cup of tea and sitting at the opposite end of the couch. Sentret hops up beside him and crawls into his lap.

“I can’t just let it out in here,” Reigen grumbles. When Swablu floats down to the armrest of the couch, he rubs beneath her beak. She coos happily. “There’s no room, and I don’t want it destroying my office. But we can’t let it out outside, I can’t be held responsible if it runs off and causes trouble…”

“But you can’t keep it in that Ball forever. Maybe call someone--?”

“No telling what they’ll do to it,” Reigen replies. Serizawa observes him quietly. For the mere two weeks they have known one another, Serizawa has already found that Reigen possesses a rather kind heart beneath his thin veneer of theatrics and sharp wit. Despite his fear, Serizawa thinks the other man has already formed some affection for the Pokémon that had… nearly mauled him.

Serizawa drums his fingers against the armrest, pondering as he takes a sip of the tea. He has an idea then, something he’s not entirely sure will work but something worth trying. After all, if it goes awry they both have their own Pokémon that could subdue it, though Serizawa thinks his own may be a bit more fighting-fit than Reigen’s are.

“Besides, Mob is supposed to get here soon. And I can’t--” Reigen takes a sharp inhale, his grip around his cup going white-knuckled. “--I can’t just put him in danger like that.”

A smile pulls at the corners of Serizawa’s lips at that.

“He could help us?”

“No, I can’t allow that.” Reigen puts his cup down and rubs a hand over his face. “He’s already risking a lot going after Claw. I can’t add one more risk to his life.”

“You really care for him.”

“Well, I have to. He’s my student.”

They sit in silence for a while and Serizawa leans back. He turns over his idea in his head a few times, weighs out the pros and the cons, considers everything that could go wrong and how to deal with it. Despite his unfortunate circumstances before he ever met Mob or Reigen, he knew he was smart, he knew he was good at planning things because he _had_ to be--being part of Claw’s upper echelon meant more than just being good at fighting, with your own psychic powers as well as the strength of your Pokémon.

“Reigen-san, do any of your Pokémon know sleep-inducing moves…?”

Reigen blinks and looks up. “Venonat knows Sleep Powder.”

“What if we…”

There is a light knock on the door then, before it opens and Mob is making his way inside. The conversation comes to a halt and Reigen gives Serizawa a look that tells him they can talk about it later. Mob pauses in the doorway, blinking, clearly picking up that he just walked in on something.

“Sorry, Master, should I come back--?”

“No, no, Mob, it’s fine. Nothing you need to worry about. The client should be here soon.”

“Do you want any tea, Mob?” Serizawa asks, rising from the couch. Reigen stands as well, strolling towards the desk and cracking open his laptop again.

“No, thank you,” Mob replies. Serizawa watches him out of the corner of his eye and notes that something seems… off. Usually, the boy seems much more reserved, not so fidgety like he suddenly is now, with a heavy wave of anxiety rolling off of him. Maybe his experience with Claw still has him shaken? Or maybe there’s something else. The way he grips his bag close to his side like there’s something he’s hiding inside of it… Serizawa considers whether or not he should ask and figures he’ll hold off until later. Mob seems rather open with Reigen, anyway, he figures if anything is wrong it will be brought up sooner rather than later.

The appointment goes by without a hitch, Mob helping with the actual exorcizing while Serizawa helps to file a few papers and takes care of any payment. Except both he and Reigen _both_ notice Mob seems off his game today, and it isn’t until the client leaves ( with their now spirit-free Skitty held within their arms ) that Serizawa sees Reigen open his mouth to ask.

Mob is faster.

“Master,” he says, “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Serizawa raises his eyebrows but otherwise remains silent. This could either be very bad or very good, and he thinks Reigen is about to start sweating bullets any minute now. His dark eyes are already alight with nerves, Serizawa can see that even from where he stands.

“Of course, Mob! Anything. What can I do to help?”

 _You’re doing a bad job at keeping your cool,_ Serizawa thinks.

“When I fought Claw, I…” Mob is shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “I found something.”

Reigen looks like he’s going to chew his bottom lip off. “What did you find?”

“I don’t know what it is,” Mob admits.

“Do you have it with you?” Reigen asks.

“Yes. Let me…” Mob crosses the office to where he placed his bag and digs through it. When he draws back, he holds something in his hand that is difficult to see until he turns around and holds it out to Reigen. It’s a Ball, dark blue in color, four golden ridges circling around it and meeting up at the button in the center.

Instantly, Serizawa recognizes it and his stomach lurches unpleasantly. He had only seen Balls like those a few times, and he didn’t really know what they were _for_ besides what the President had said. Powerful Pokémon that the world wasn’t ready for. Powerful Pokémon that would help them achieve their goals. And Serizawa had believed him then, thought that whatever was within the confines of those Balls really would help and would be _willing_ to help. There were whisperings among the lower ranks of the organization, however, that the President was dabbling in something far beyond his ken. That in a far-off region, there was another incident with strange Pokémon never before seen, that they thought these were the very same species.

He had asked Shimazaki about it once, but his fellow Super Five member didn’t bother to grace him with a real answer besides, _If the President wanted you to know, he would tell you himself._

“I get a weird feeling from it,” Mob says, and there’s a tight knot in Serizawa’s throat because he knows he should say something but is having trouble getting the words out. “But I don’t know what’s in it. I haven’t opened it since I found it.”

“So the Pokémon’s been cooped up in there for weeks? That’s a bit cruel even for you, Mob.” Reigen circles around the desk but Serizawa can see his eyes flicker nervously to the dark Ball sitting next to his laptop, then to the Ball in Mob’s hand. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I thought you had other things to worry about,” comes the reply, “And I wanted to figure it out on my own. But… I thought it might be safer to get a second opinion.”

Reigen looks like he’s at a loss for words and rubs the back of his neck. “Er, yes, of course. Well, let’s take a look…?”

Serizawa opens his mouth to speak then, but the ball is already growing in Mob’s hand and he’s pressing the button in the center with his thumb. In a beam of white light, the creature held within materializes in the middle of the office.

It’s small but hovers a few feet off the ground. A large head on a tiny purple body, its tail swishing back and forth. Bright blue eyes squeeze shut momentarily, then crack open to survey its surroundings. Immediately, it focuses in on Mob and Serizawa is worried it might attack and is already moving slowly towards his own bag in case he needs to call out a Pokémon of his own.

Instead, it comes face-to-face with the boy, stares at him for a long moment, and then forces itself into his arms.

“Ah…” Mob looks down at the creature and carefully adjusts it in his arms. He cradles it a little awkwardly, but it doesn’t seem to care. Reigen is, however, staring with his jaw agape. Serizawa isn’t sure _what_ to think.

“What…” Reigen’s voice sounds hoarse. He swallows, clears his throat, and then continues, “What _is_ that?”

“I don’t--” Mob trails off then and is suddenly staring past Reigen’s shoulder. Serizawa follows his gaze. The Ball on Reigen’s desk is suddenly shaking, and the shaking only gets more and more violent the more time passes. Serizawa moves quickly to his bag and he grabs a Ball from it just as the one harboring the other mystery Pokémon breaks open and it lands on the floor with a heavy thud.

It breathes heavily within its mask, its aura heavy and threatening and before anyone can even think to act further its eyes focus on Mob, specifically on the creature within Mob’s arms, and it _leaps._

Only to be met with resistance a split second before it has a chance to reach its target. Serizawa’s Pangoro stands between Mob and the Pokémon, arms crossed in front of its face, shielding the boy from the attack and Mob stares wide-eyed. He moves the small, purple Pokémon into one arm and lifts his other arm. A barrier forms around him, the small Pokémon, and Pangoro. Meanwhile, the beast lets out a frustrated cry and slams its head against the barrier. Over, and over, and over.

Reigen scrambles back to the desk, finds one of his Poké Balls, and releases his Venonat. “Sleep Powder, quickly--!”

The fluffy insect lets out a chittering sound and shakes its antennae, releasing a cloud of green powder that sprinkles over the large Pokémon. Within seconds it’s sagging heavily but still tries to keep up a fight up until it can’t anymore and collapses to the floor on its side. It heaves and its eyes roll back in its skull before they fall shut.

Mob lowers his barrier and the purple Pokémon buries itself close to his chest, letting out a soft sound of distress. Reigen is breathing hard, eyes wild, panicked. Serizawa keeps Pangoro out in case the Pokémon wakes up but he moves quickly to Reigen’s side. Just in case he ends up fainting again like he did the day before. He doesn’t, thankfully, but when Serizawa puts an arm around his shoulders he slumps heavily against his chest.

“Shit,” Reigen mutters, hiding his face in one hand. The office is already looking like a mess just from that brief encounter, with the couch turned over ( Sentret and Swablu had both managed to escape to the opposite side of the room before it did, of course ) and papers all over the floor. “What the hell?”

The boy, rather than being frightened, is taking a step towards the unconscious Pokémon.

“Mob, don’t get too close…!” Serizawa warns, but the boy pays him no mind. The Pokémon in his arms squirms free and floats a few feet away, clearly not wanting to be anywhere near its attacker.

“It’s hurting,” Mob says softly, kneeling down at its side and resting a hand on its side where its labored breaths make it rise and fall erratically. “Master, how did you get this…?”

“A gift,” Reigen says, tone a little too snappy. “We didn’t know- we didn’t know what it was. We still don’t know what it is.”

Mob looks like he has an idea suddenly and moves from the Pokémon’s side and finds his bag again, fishing around in it and then pulling out his Pokédex. He flips it open and focuses on the Pokémon on the floor.

 

_‘Error. Pokémon not found.’_

 

Reigen gives a frustrated little sound and Serizawa pats him on the shoulder. “We’ll figure it out,” Serizawa tells him. “Somehow.”

Mob says nothing and is instead pointing his Pokédex towards the purple Pokémon from before again. Unfortunately, it gives the same error message. Mob stares at the device, his expression inscrutable, and then he pushes it into his pocket and focuses his attention back to the unconscious Pokémon.

“You should give it a name,” he suggests and Reigen lets out a shaky laugh in disbelief.

“It nearly killed me yesterday, and you…! Why would I…”

“I don’t think it was after him,” Serizawa cuts in. “It didn’t break free until he brought out that other Pokémon. They could be linked… somehow.”

“Oh, that’s great,” Reigen groans, pinching the bridge of his nose and screwing his eyes shut. “That’s-- that’s _really_ great. Just what we all need.”

The boy looks unfazed, somehow, as if he hadn’t nearly been mauled not even five minutes ago. He looks to the purple Pokémon who stares warily at the one on the floor. Then he takes a step towards it and it quickly rushes back towards him, nearly knocking him over as it flies back into his arms. Mob blinks down at him.

It got attached quickly, Serizawa notes. Maybe it was young? It’s hard to tell, especially since they don’t know what exactly it is.

“I’ll call you Budo,” Mob says softly. The Pokémon coos.

Reigen pulls away from Serizawa and puts one hand on his desk, leaning his weight against it. He looks troubled, understandably so, especially when he looks down at the slumbering Pokémon. Like he’s not sure what to think, what to feel. Serizawa’s lips twitch into a frown.

“Giving it a name might help,” Serizawa finally says, bending over to pick up the worn Poké Ball that had found its way to the floor. “You’re technically its trainer now. It’s up to you.”

The other man sighs. His jaw is tense, his whole _body_ is tense. “Fine. _Fine._ ” Looking down at the beast of a Pokémon, he looks thoughtful for a few long moments. “I’ll name it Terror.”

“Terror?”

“It’s fitting,” Reigen huffs out, defensive.

“If you think it works,” Serizawa says with a shrug of his shoulders. “We’ll just have to get it used to its name, somehow.”

“If it stops trying to kill us, that is.”

“Master,” Mob speaks up again, striking one of Budo's horns idly. The hand then lifts, emits a soft blue glow, and the papers scattered around the office gather up and fly into his grasp. He hands them to Serizawa, who sets them on the desk. “There has to be a reason it broke out when I let Budo out.”

Serizawa lifts his brows and can't help his smile. Mob is being oddly perceptive today, offering his own input, being rather _open._ And he acts as though he wasn't nearly ripped to shreds by the Pokémon that was after the one in his arms. Reigen wipes the back of his hand over his forehead and it’s then that Serizawa notices he’s _shaking._ It’s almost unnoticeable, but he sees it in the quiver of those expressive hands and in his tightened jaw. He’s terrified, even if he’s trying desperately to keep himself together.

 _I hope he knows he’s allowed to be scared around us,_ Serizawa thinks.

His hand lightly touches Reigen’s elbow and Reigen stiffens up at first, but within moments he’s relaxing again and Serizawa thinks he might even be leaning into the touch. Or maybe he’s just imagining things. He tilts his head, thinking, contemplating.

Sentret creeps out from the corner of the room, followed by Swablu. The bird lands on Reigen’s head, nestles into his hair, while Sentret tugs at Serizawa’s pants leg. It takes him a moment to notice the tenseness in his own shoulders, the rapid beating of his own heart, and he’s thankful he has Sentret there to be a real anchor, to keep watch over him and make sure he’s comfortable. He leans down, picking the Pokémon up and allowing her to perch on his shoulders.

Terror twitches on the floor and lets out a groan. Serizawa and Reigen tense while Mob just looks on, impossible to read. When Terror stirs again, Reigen grabs the almost-forgotten Ball and calls it back before it can wake up. He takes a sharp breath in, then sags back against the edge of his desk. With Terror back in the confines of its Poké Ball, Serizawa feels comfortable returning Pangoro back to its own, while Reigen calls back Venonat.

“You said it was a _gift,_ Master?” Mob asks, picking up Budo’s Ball and offering it the Pokémon, who taps the button in the center itself and disappears inside.

“Oh, well,” Reigen laughs almost bitterly, “Some shady guy stopped by yesterday. He didn’t want it anymore, so he gave it to me. And, you know, helping people is what I do, so I--”

“You _really_ didn’t know what Pokémon you were being given?” Mob cuts in. “That’s dangerous. I thought you would have thought it through more.”

Reigen looks a little pale, a little embarrassed, which is both amusing and understandable. Mob could have a sharp tongue sometimes, even if it might be unintentional, and just because Reigen is his teacher doesn’t mean that he’s safe from it. “W-well, Mob, sometimes in life it’s better you don’t question everything that happens to you, keep that in mind for when you grow up--!”

“Did he pay you a lot?” Clearly, the boy reads his teacher like an open book.

Blinking once, twice, three times, Reigen then clears his throat into his fist. “I was going to give you some of the payment. Yes, it’s a lot. And I think you deserve it.”

Mob tilts his head and Serizawa sees a shimmer in his eyes. “Really?”

“It’s in the bank right now. Come back again tomorrow, and I’ll give it to you.”

“All right.” Mob looks around for his bag, lifting it off the floor and placing Budo’s Ball inside. “If that’s all, I’m going home now. But…” He looks down where Terror had been sleeping only a few minutes before. “What are you going to do?”

Serizawa, who had been mostly silent during the whole ordeal, finally speaks up, “If it’s okay, then…” He looks from Mob to Reigen. “Can I bring it home with me tonight? And for the weekend.”

“Do you have a plan, Serizawa?” Reigen asks, seeming hesitant.

“Something like that,” he responds. “If you’d prefer I didn’t…”

“I mean,” Reigen rubs the back of his neck. “So long as you think it’s safe.”

“I’m not sure if it is, but I’d like to try,” Serizawa says, holding a hand out. The other plan he had in mind earlier could wait, even though he now knew that Terror was susceptible to sleep-inducing moves. Maybe a more direct approach was needed, but he knew it was risky, but he was confident in his own abilities, he thinks he can handle it. Reigen studies him for a moment, sighs, and concedes to Serizawa’s (hopefully) better judgment, passing the worn Ball over to him. He slips it into his pocket for now.

They bid Mob a good night as the boy bows and quietly exits the office. Serizawa and Reigen go about fixing the rest of the mess the confrontation earlier caused.

“You’re sure it’ll be safe?” Reigen asks as they finally leave for the night, and there’s no hiding the worry coloring his words. “Mob is already putting himself in enough danger, I don’t need you risking too much…”

“If anything happens,” Serizawa begins, pausing so Reigen can catch up with him. “I’ll take responsibility for it, Reigen-san. Don’t worry so much.”

“You’re my employee.” Reigen looks at him, and then ahead, his lips pulling into a frown. “And my--” he swallows, scratching the back of his head. “Friend. I think it’s natural for me to worry.”

There’s a little flutter in Serizawa’s belly, he can’t explain why or what it even is, but it makes him feel warm. Part of him wants to inch a little closer, lessen the gap between their arms, but he thinks that might be too much. They still barely know one another, their friendship still slowly blooming, and even Serizawa knows what is appropriate and what isn’t in these kinds of situations.

Clearly, Sentret picks up on Serizawa’s nerves and jumps from his shoulder into his arms. He strokes her soft brown fur repeatedly, letting it keep him grounded and keep his thoughts elsewhere. It’s a calming motion, and he softly clicks his tongue as they walk.

“I promise I’ll be fine,” he finally says. And he says this with certainty, confidence, and he thinks that not long ago he might have had _difficulty_ doing so.

Reigen looks at him again, studying him closely, and then sighs, “Just be careful.”

“I will.”

 

\---

 

The woods are [calming](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASiX63rMsHs). The sun shines through the rustling leaves of the trees, mottled gold across the grass and dirt under his feet. There is birdsong, a Pidgey flutters overhead. Sentret is bouncing along the path ahead of him but is careful not to stray too far from her trainer. Serizawa breathes in the sweet air as he walks, one hand in his pocket while the other holds the strap of his bag. Reigen let him have the day off today when Serizawa asked, but didn’t question why; he figures Reigen had a good idea why, anyway.

Terror’s Ball in his bag feels like a dead weight, however, even if it’s as light as any of the others. What he’s planning in a few minutes could work, or it could go horribly wrong. But he thinks he can do it. Just letting Terror out of its Ball in a less-confined space, without so many humans around, might help soothe its fear because Serizawa… knows it must be scared. He doesn’t know what it’s gone through, and he knows there’s no way for him to tell him, but he’ll do his best to make it feel _safe._

When the path finally leads them to an open meadow, Serizawa fishes around in his bag for the Ball. He curls his hand around it and then hesitates, closes his eyes, counts to ten to calm the rapid beating of his heart. Sentret scampers up to him, curls around his legs and squeaks and he’s thankful for her presence.

“Stand back,” he tells her, and the Pokémon obeys, taking a spot a few feet behind him. He pulls the Ball from the bag and stares at it for a few long moments, takes in the scratches and scrapes along the black surface, and wishes he knew what kind of life the Pokémon within led before it landed in he and Reigen’s hands.

Breathing in, he presses the button in the center, and Terror materializes in front of him. It’s big, he notes not for the first time. Only an inch or two shorter than he is. And Terror looks around, its breath shaky and echoing in its mask, taking in its surroundings, its whole body tense.

It doesn’t move, it doesn’t attack, not even when its eyes land on Serizawa. It _does_ snarl, however. A warning, one that Serizawa knows to heed. It must feel more at ease out here though, and Serizawa had actually imagined it would have run away the second he let out of its Ball, but it remains standing a few feet before him. It almost looks like it doesn’t know _what_ to do.

“Hello,” he manages, keeping his movements slow as he raises his hand in greeting. “You must be scared. But I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Does it even understand? It’s still watching him closely with those gray eyes. He has some Poké Beans in his bag, but he wonders if it’s even possible for Terror to eat at all, what with that mask. And something tells him the mask is there for a reason, even if he doesn’t know what that reason is.

Serizawa outstretches his hand and the Pokémon flinches. He stops, bites his lip, and then closes his eyes. He focuses all his energy down his arm, to his fingertips, and lets what he hopes is a soothing aura to seep through his fingers and towards Terror. Eyes cracking open, he sees Terror still hasn’t moved, but its eyes are a little less wary now. It’s grown curious, the tension in its body seems to lift if only a little bit.

Then it takes a step forward and Serizawa is prepared to run, or protect himself if it attacks.

But all it does is lean its head in and Serizawa feels the cool surface of its mask beneath his palm. He blinks a few times, surprised, but then he _smiles._ He remains slow in his movements, his hand traveling from its mask to where it ends around its neck. His fingers run through the dark gray fur of its mane there, and Terror lets it happen, its eyes never leaving his face.

It’s still wary, even if it’s curious, even if it’s allowing Serizawa to be so close and to _touch_ it.

“See,” Serizawa says with a smile. “It’s not so scary to make friends, is it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oogghhfh i promise things will start picking up action-wise soon i just need to establish things you know how it is
> 
> also 'budo' is literally just 'grape'. because. purple. mob's very creative you see
> 
> tome's team: clefairy, elgyem, mime jr, smoochum, spinda, stufful
> 
>  **EDIT:** since i'm not the best at describing things sometimes and some people asked, terror is type: null and budo is poipole!
> 
> anyway thank you all for the kind reception to the first chapter and i hope you enjoy this one!
> 
> thanks for reading!
> 
>  
> 
> [twitter](http://twitter.com/zhamusiel)  
> [tumblr](http://hellfirecitadel.tumblr.com)


	3. calm mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s comfortable with you,” Reigen thinks out loud. Serizawa blinks at him. “I wonder why.”
> 
> “Maybe it’s because I…” He pauses, thinks on his words for a few moments. “I think I’m a lot like it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think i like how this chapter came out, so i really hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> un-beta'd as usual.

“You _what_?!” Reigen’s hands slam down maybe a little _too_ hard on his desk and he springs from his chair in a sudden burst of over-excitement and disbelief. Quickly, he composes himself and slowly sits back down, straightening his tie and clearing his throat. “That’s great, Serizawa.”

Serizawa gives a wide smile and Reigen bites back a sigh, because he’s truthfully not sure what to think. The other man had come to him a few days after he had taken Terror home and told him that he thinks he bonded with the foreign Pokémon, told him how he brought it out into the wilderness, away from the loud sounds of the city, away from any perceived threats, and it allowed him to get close. It allowed him to touch it.

A huge surprise considering how the Pokémon had reacted the two times Reigen ever saw it. Especially the first time. Maybe there’s just something about him that Terror doesn’t like? He can’t imagine what, most Pokémon seem to take to him quickly, but Terror isn’t _like_ most Pokémon and he realized that quickly.

“But I thought you could come along next time, I don’t think it will attack you again,” Serizawa says. “At least, not if I’m there.”

The suggestion makes Reigen’s throat tighten. Sure, like he would really want to be around the Pokémon that nearly ripped his throat out not too long ago. “Have you interacted with it anymore since then?”

“I let it out in my apartment once,” Serizawa admits. “It seemed a lot more anxious in such a closed space, but it didn’t do anything.”

“Hmm,” Reigen hums. He’s… well, he doesn’t know what to do. If it was able to bond with Serizawa so quickly, maybe there was hope. There are still so many unanswered questions, however: what kind of Pokémon is it? Where did it come from? What has it gone through? To make it so aggressive, maybe even scared, it must have gone through _something_ to make it that way. He’s still hesitant, however, because _he’s_ scared too, but he's loathed to admit it.

But for some reason, it seems like this is important to Serizawa and that soft part of his heart makes the decision for him.

“Okay. We’ll do it tonight.”

Serizawa’s eyes light up and he beams. It makes Reigen’s heart flutter suddenly and he coughs into his fist, looking away and hoping that despite the heat pooling beneath his cheeks there is no visible blush. He returns his attention back to his laptop as Serizawa organizes things around the office, and the next twenty minutes go by without much of anything happening. Their next client still won’t be in for another half hour. So while Reigen fiddles with his website, Serizawa scrolls idly through his phone at his own desk.

But Reigen can’t ignore how there is a sick feeling growing in his gut. He’s caught up on the thought of actually meeting Terror face-to-face again, except maybe this time it _won’t_ attack him. Or maybe it will. Maybe tonight he’ll end up in the hospital because of a Pokémon that doesn’t seem to know how to control its own strength. He doesn’t like to admit when he’s scared, he’s too proud for that, but in his mind he knows that he _is._

There is a knock on the door that snaps both of them out of their thoughts. Before Reigen can say anything, the door is being shouldered open by a man with dark hair and heavy lines beneath his eyes. Instantly, Reigen slumps back in his chair, rubs his forehead, and bites back a groan.

“Oh, hello,” Serizawa says, rising to his feet. “Are you a client--?”

“Me? No way,” the man says.

“No, he’s just a jerk,” Reigen bites out. “It’s been weeks, Ekubo. I thought you decided you weren’t ever coming back.”

Well, part of him might have missed the Ghost-type trainer if he decided to leave for good, even though it’d take a lot to get him to admit it. Their past is a… difficult one, and not something he likes to bring up. In fact, neither of them bring it up, which is mostly for the best. But the tension between them at the moment is so thick you could cut it with a butter knife, and Serizawa picks up on it, looking between them.

“Shigeo messaged me and asked me to come,” Ekubo replies. “Told me he wouldn’t be able to make it later-- what’s with that face?”

“Yeah, okay,” Reigen huffs. “Our next client is in half an hour. Occupy yourself somehow _without_ making a mess.”

Ekubo gets a familiar shine in his eyes, opens his mouth but then seems to remember Serizawa is there and closes it again. He straightens his back and turns on his heel to face him, and Serizawa blinks a few times.

“Heh. Shigeo mentioned a new assistant,” he says. And he swings by, studies Serizawa maybe a little _too_ close and Reigen can see a bit of tension in Serizawa’s shoulders and how he eyes the man warily. “What’s your name?”

“Katsuya Serizawa,” he replies. “Pleased to meet you.”

“You can call me Ekubo,” it’s said with a smarmy grin. He holds out his hand. “Let’s be good friends, Seri-chan.”

Serizawa’s eyes narrow, suspicious, but he takes Ekubo’s hand and gives it a firm shake anyway. “Don’t call me that.” He releases Ekubo’s hand, pauses, and then says, “Ekubo is a strange name.”

“It’s not his real name,” Reigen speaks up, chin in his hand.

“Hey, that doesn’t really matter,” Ekubo responds, making himself comfortable on one of the chairs and kicking his legs out. Sentret, who had been sitting nearby, decides to relocate herself to the far end of the couch. “That’s my business.”

“Well, you sure like making everyone’s business your own,” Reigen says. He can tell just how awkward Serizawa must be feeling and he can’t blame him. Ekubo definitely isn’t for everyone, Reigen thinks he knows that better than anyone else.

“How do you two know each other?” Serizawa decides to ask and Reigen really, really wishes he wouldn’t, but he gets why he does. Especially when it’s extremely obvious they have a history.

“Long story,” they both say at the same time, then share a pointed glare from across the office.

Opening his mouth, then closing it, Serizawa seems to decide not to press further and just nods. He stands from his chair, walking across the office to the coffee machine. Reigen imagines he’s going to get one hell of a headache today before he even has to face Terror again, and he also hopes Serizawa won’t bring the Pokémon up while Ekubo is there because Ekubo _will_ try to stick his nose into it.

“Would you like any coffee or tea, Ekubo-san?”

 _You don’t have to be so polite with him,_ Reigen thinks bitterly.

Ekubo gives a dismissive wave of his hand. “No thanks. Reigen, your new assistant sure is polite.”

“You could take a few pointers from him.”

“Let’s not argue,” Serizawa says, filling a cup up with tea.

“I’m not,” Reigen replies, defensive.

Serizawa gives him a look, one that is so oddly _stern_ and Reigen backs down almost immediately. He looks away, his face warm. “Okay, we’ll stop. Right, Ekubo?”

Ekubo is looking between them with one brow raised. He looks like he wants to say something else, something that will undoubtedly make Reigen want to leap over the desk and throttle him, but he just settles on, “Right.”

A smile lights up Serizawa’s face. With a sigh, Reigen turns back to his laptop, drumming his fingers against the surface of his desk. The day already felt like it was going to drag on, but now he thinks it’s going to go even slower what with their unexpected, extremely irritating guest.

But Ekubo is good at what he does, there’s no doubt about it; maybe not as good as Mob or Serizawa, but he still gets the job done. Ghosts and spirits are his specialties, after all. It would just be better if they didn’t have that, uh, _history_ between them. It might make it easier for him to deal with Ekubo and not want to punch that smug expression right off of his face.

At least Serizawa is there to keep him from going too crazy. That’s enough for now.

When the client arrives with their “haunted” cellphone, Reigen shoves aside his annoyance for the time being and, as usual, talks out of his ass even when he finds out the reason it keeps blowing up with notifications from an unknown number is simply because… the client has a stalker. He really doesn’t need Serizawa or Mob _or_ Ekubo for this, but it’s better safe than sorry.

He “exorcises” it by clearing out the messages on the phone and blocking the number.

Serizawa handles the payment and gives the client a smile, big and kind. Reigen has to look away and he feels Ekubo’s eyes on him suddenly. He knows Ekubo wants to say something but he must be waiting; waiting for what, he doesn’t know.

“Well, if you don’t need me here anymore,” Ekubo stands, dusting off his pants with his hands. “I’m getting out of here. This place makes my Pokémon anxious. And I have other things to do.”

When he walks toward the door, his hand rests on the knob before he pauses and Reigen braces himself for another string of bullshit. Instead…

“Oi, Shigeo seemed really worried about something when he messaged me.” The hand slips off of the doorknob. “He wouldn’t tell me why! And, Reigen, this is the jumpiest I’ve ever seen you.”

Is Ekubo actually concerned? Okay, Reigen can’t be surprised. He knows Ekubo cares for Mob like he might care about a little brother, or an adopted son, or something, and maybe he still cares a little for Reigen.

“So what’re you hiding?”

Reigen debates whether or not to tell him. He shares a look with Serizawa, who just shrugs, and he grinds his back teeth in irritation.

“You won’t tell anyone?” Reigen asks. Ekubo snorts.

“Who would I tell?”

“I don’t know what kind of shady people you hang out with.”

“ _Shady_ \-- you’re one to talk.”

“Anyway,” Reigen says briskly. “I’ll tell you. Just keep your mouth shut and _don’t_ try to meddle.”

Ekubo leans his shoulder against the wall, arms folded over his chest as Reigen explains the situation. He sees Serizawa watching him closely out of the corner of his eye, like he’s curious, or maybe just interested in what he has to say? Well, a lot of people _are_ interested in what he has to say, he’s a good speaker, he thinks. Yet this was different than a client, a stranger, hanging on his every word.

“Like I said, don’t tell anyone,” Reigen says when he finishes. “Especially don’t tell Mob I told you. He’ll tell you himself when he’s ready.”

“Huh,” Ekubo hums. “Is it with you? Terror, or whatever its name is.”

“Yeah, but we won’t let it out here. Last time we did it nearly destroyed my office.”

“It doesn’t like tight spaces,” Serizawa finally says. “And it doesn’t know you. We don’t know what it might do.”

With a tilt of his head, Ekubo looks rather thoughtful for a moment. “Introduce me some time.”

“You sound like you’re planning something,” Reigen mutters. “Fine, one day. Maybe. Depending on how things go.”

“Right, right. Well,” Ekubo finally turns back to the door. “See you later, Reigen. Serizawa. Oh, and, Serizawa--” He looks over his shoulder with a gleam in his eye. “Make sure you treat him gently!”

Before Reigen can stand up and charge Ekubo is out of the door and out of sight. He turns his head quickly to where Serizawa sits at his desk, with Sentret now in his lap, and he sees the warmth creeping up his neck to his cheeks. Serizawa clears his throat and when he catches Reigen’s eye he quickly looks away.

Talk about making things awkward.

“Sorry, he just…” Reigen fumbles, not really sure how to rid the air of the sudden tension and awkwardness. “Uh, says things. Don’t take it too seriously.”

“Yeah,” Serizawa rubs the side of his neck. “Anyway, Reigen-san. Are you hungry?”

As if on cue, Reigen’s stomach growls audibly. Serizawa laughs a little and Reigen can’t help but laugh with him. Amazing, how that tension dissipates so quickly.

“Lunch break?” Reigen suggests.

“Sure,” Serizawa replies.

 

\---

 

Even if he can’t see them, the humming of fluorescent lights above are a bit annoying, but he puts that feeling aside for now. Hands in his pockets, head canted, he waits for the man before him to speak. His back is to him, he can sense that just like he can sense the immense power rolling off of him. It’s almost suffocating, but Shimazaki is hardly worried about that.

“Has the UB been located yet?” The leader finally says, his voice flat.

“Not yet,” Shimazaki replies. “We’re working quickly to find it, though.”

Touichirou Suzuki is silent for a few moments. Shimazaki ponders, briefly, what he must be thinking about. He rocks back on his heels. Nearby, he can sense the leader’s Houndoom watching him closely.

“And the Type: Null?”

“Still unknown.”

“I’m sure you understand the importance it bears in our plans,” Touichirou begins, slowly, as if he’s talking to a rather inept child. Shimazaki’s lips twitch. That’s just how the leader is, so high and mighty, treating even his personal cadre like they were far beneath him. You get used to it after a while. “And that it needs to be recovered quickly. Did you locate the man who took it?”

“Yes, but he didn’t have it. Even when we tortured him he wouldn’t tell us where it was.” Shimazaki shrugs one shoulder. “It can’t be helped!”

He can only imagine the look of irritation that must be on the leader’s face at that moment. Shimazaki keeps his smile in place but it grows just a tad wider in his thinly-veiled amusement.

“If you can, and you _will_ ,” Touichirou says, “then track down the traitor, too.”

“Yes, sir,” Shimazaki replies. And his eyes crack open, two dark, swirling voids in his skull. He grins wide. “Leave it to me.”

With that, he disappears.

 

\---

 

That night they close up early, head home and change into clothes more appropriate for trekking through the wilderness, and take a taxi to the edge of the woods. They aren't too frightening, even in the orange glow of the setting sun, but maybe it’s the presence of Serizawa beside him that keeps Reigen calm.

He lets his Pokémon out to walk with them, Arcanine stretching with a yawn and Sylveon curling her ribbons around Reigen's hands, begging for attention. He scratches the top of her head. Buneary immediately bolts over to Serizawa's Sentret and they squeak in excitement. Swablu settles on his head as she usually does, cooing softly, while Meowth sits on his shoulder and Venonat chirps and hops around the path as the two men begin their walk.

“You'll have to call them back before we let Terror out,” Serizawa tells him. “It might feel threatened seeing so many strange Pokémon at once.”

“Sure. I just wanted them to stretch their legs a bit.”

As [the sun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGKLflf7Flk) sinks further and further behind the distant mountain ranges, the night brings a chill; summer is ending and autumn is almost here. He kind of wishes he brought a better jacket with him, because that chill is creeping into his bones. Arcanine noses against his arm, clearly sensing his trainer’s discomfort and offering its own warmth for the time being. Reigen runs his fingers through his thick mane gratefully.

“We won’t have to come all the way out here every time we let it out, right?” Reigen asks and maybe he sounds like he’s complaining, just a bit, because he’s not exactly in the best shape and he already has a bit of pain creeping up his spine.

Serizawa glances at him and he can see the smile that threatens to pull at his lips.

“Maybe not. But… isn’t it nice out here, anyway, Reigen-san? It’s peaceful.”

There is no denying that, how despite the chill the scent of leaves and damp earth and grass fills his senses, how there’s the sound of nocturnal Pokémon scuttling around in the bushes, in the treetops, as they wake, their occasional soft cries echoing through the woods. The sunlight steadily being replaced by moonlight that filters through the canopy of leaves and casts them in its soft glow.

“Yeah,” Reigen finally agrees. “It is.”

He fishes into his jacket pocket for his flashlight once it starts growing a bit too dark for the moonlight to properly light the way, switching it on. He nearly screams in surprise when the light illuminates the eyes of something farther ahead on the path, his free hand suddenly grabbing Serizawa’s arm and holding tight.

“The- the-- there’s-- what--!”

Serizawa pauses and blinks. “It’s just a Deerling,” he says, and he’s right. The little Pokémon, its green coat mottled with orange patches now that the seasons are changing, tilts its head and then bounds off into the trees.

Embarrassed is an understatement and Reigen looks off to the side, his ears warm, and the heat only intensifies when he realizes he’s _still_ holding onto Serizawa. He pulls away swiftly and Swablu flutters on his head, clearly disturbed from her apparent slumber by Reigen moving around so much. She chooses instead to leave her perch and fly above them.

Reigen scratches his neck awkwardly. “Yeah. Nothing to be worried about.” But he’s still a little jumpy.

“Are you scared of the dark, Reigen-san?” Serizawa asks and it catches Reigen off guard and he can’t help but splutter in disbelief, flustered.

“No, of course not! Why would I be scared of the dark? Definitely not scared, definitely not, that’s ridiculous, Serizawa. I have no reason to be scared.”

Serizawa doesn’t buy it but he doesn’t press further, but there’s still a smile there that looks even a little _smug._ “Okay. I believe you.”

If Serizawa starts teasing him on the regular now Reigen isn’t entirely sure what he’ll do. What happened to that nervous man with the umbrella that Mob brought to his office hardly even three weeks before? He’s already improved so quickly. Cleaned up with a job, learning to control his powers, even starting school soon after missing out during his childhood. Speaking of which, Serizawa hasn’t explained a lot of his past to him yet, and Reigen wonders if he’ll ever tell him.

Well… he won’t force him to. That time will come, but he _is_ still a little curious.

“Are we almost there?” Reigen asks, because the pain in his back is starting to flare up a little more and he’d like to at least sit down somewhere.

“Yes, just another minute or so.”

Reigen can see an opening in the trees not too far ahead, leading to what seems like a field. One by one, he calls his Pokémon back to their Balls even though he thinks he might feel safer with them out. But if Serizawa says it’s best to keep them away then he’ll trust him on that. He doesn’t want to risk anyone getting hurt.

They finally step out into the field where the grass and flowers sway in the breeze that the night brings. The moon shines brightly overhead, painting the grass grays and silvers, like a gentle sea. It’s much easier for him to be at peace out here rather than confined within the thick woods where _anything_ could jump out at them. Reigen stays back with his flashlight in hand as Serizawa takes a few steps ahead.

It’s then that Reigen is acutely aware of the trembling in his hands, making it difficult to keep his hold on the flashlight. He squeezes his fingers tighter around it, brings it to his front to hold it with both hands.

Serizawa looks back at him. “Reigen-san, is everything all right?”

“Yes, just…” Reigen swallows. “I’ll be fine. Let it out.”

Serizawa doesn’t look convinced but nods anyway, pulling out Terror’s worn Ball from his bag. After a few moments of them just standing there, the suspense and anticipation eating away at Reigen, Serizawa presses the button in the center and in a flash of light, Terror is standing there before them. Serizawa takes a few slow steps back until he’s beside Reigen. Sentret squeaks nervously, curling herself around her trainer’s legs.

Terror shakes its head and its mane, letting out a low rumbling sound. It seems less agitated than Reigen expected, maybe it’s been growing more comfortable? Whatever Serizawa has been doing with it must be working. Its head lifts further, turns to both sides to survey its surroundings, and then those gray eyes land on the pair of humans a few feet away.

Closing his eyes tightly, Reigen braces himself for the worst. His grip on the flashlight is white-knuckled.

But even after a few moments, nothing happens. Serizawa touches his elbow, coaxing him to open his eyes and _look._ Terror is still watching them closely, seems to be eyeing Reigen much more warily than it eyes Serizawa.

“Just wait right here. Don’t move,” Serizawa tells him, and then he steps forward slowly. Sentret even goes along with him. Terror remains still even when Serizawa approaches it, but doesn’t bolt like Reigen is expecting it to. Its focus turns from Reigen to the other man and Reigen can see how much tension seeps from its muscles. Does it… does it _like_ Serizawa? Is it actually comfortable with Serizawa? Not that Reigen is surprised, Serizawa does have a warm and rather comforting presence. But maybe there’s something else contributing to it, besides the fact Serizawa has spent more time around it.

Serizawa outstretches his hand, his movements slow, like he worries if he moves too fast it will startle the Pokémon. Terror just watches and after a few long moments it steps forward as well, leans its head in until Serizawa’s hand touches the surface of its mask. Serizawa reaches his other hand out, and carefully both his hands travel to where the mask ends, stroking down its neck through the gray fur.

“You just have to wait for it to come to you,” Serizawa explains. Then his voice softens considerably and there’s something in his eyes that Reigen can’t quite parse. “Or else it will get scared.”

“Okay, well…” Reigen doesn’t know what to say because this is the first time he’s been in the same vicinity of the Pokémon and it _doesn’t_ try to attack the first thing it looks at. He’s still scared, nervous, it eats away at his gut and makes his stomach hurt and his chest tight. But he’ll be damned before he admits his fear, even if it’s written across his face at the moment. “Can I, uh… move?”

“Just go slowly.”

Reigen nods and with shaking hands he shuts his flashlight off, shoving it back into the pocket of his jacket. He peers at Terror warily, makes a point not to look at it in the eyes should it feel threatened by that gesture, and then takes a step forward. It tenses immediately and he stops, frozen, watching as Serizawa strokes its mane to calm it down before he nods at Reigen to continue.

Another step, and one more. Terror stares at him, unblinking, and he stops a good two feet away. Looking at Serizawa, he feels a bit at a loss, not entirely sure how to continue. So he just does what he saw Serizawa do and lifts one hand. Terror gives a low growl and Reigen freezes.

“It’s okay, he won’t hurt you,” Serizawa says to the Pokémon.

 _You should be telling_ **_me_ ** _that,_ Reigen thinks.

Then suddenly Serizawa’s hand is on his, gently taking hold of it and guiding it towards Terror. Reigen’s brain fails for a few seconds, because he can’t believe how _warm_ Serizawa’s hand is. The skin is a little callused, a little worn, but still pleasing to the touch. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

His hand touches the cool surface of Terror’s mask, and Serizawa pulls his hand away. Reigen blinks at the Pokémon and he realizes this has to be the closest he’s gotten to it, and he takes in the sheer _size_ of it-- yet it’s not as tall as Serizawa is. Terror is looking at him, but there’s something cold in its eyes. It glares and Reigen can feel himself start to sweat a little.

“Eheh,” Reigen laughs nervously, giving Terror’s mask a little pat. Terror growls again, pulling its head back, and Reigen frowns. What? Does he offend? It’s not like he did anything. Technically, it’s _his_ Pokémon now! But he had been considering just giving it to Serizawa now that he knows Serizawa can actually _handle_ it without it growing aggressive.

Looking at Serizawa as if for some kind of answer, he’s just met with a shrug. “Don’t take it personally.”

“I’m not.” Okay, maybe he is, just a little bit.

“It might take a while for it to get used to you. You should interact with it regularly, I think.”

“But I won’t have to come all the way out here just to let it out, right?” Reigen asks warily.

“Well,” Serizawa’s hand touches the crest on Terror’s head, rubbing his thumb through the fur there, and Terror leans into the touch. Reigen doesn’t know who he’s jealous of at that moment. “I think it’s okay in my apartment. We can find somewhere bigger to let it out, closer to home, where not as many people are likely to see.”

Reigen shifts his weight from one foot to the other, admittedly a little anxious. Terror has turned all of its attention back to Serizawa, but he still sees it cast sidelong glances at him occasionally.

“There’s a park,” Reigen suggests, sheepish. “I mean- we can go there at night. Or early in the morning, before work. Not as many people would be out.”

Serizawa tilts his head, and then smiles. “That sounds good.”

He can’t help the little relieved laugh that bubbles up in his throat. Truthfully, he isn’t exactly excited to attempt to bond with this strange Pokémon, he’s usually so _used_ to Pokémon taking to him immediately. Like Sentret, who he just now notices has been trying to get his attention so she can get onto his shoulders. He kneels down enough for her to hop up, then rises back to full height.

“Should we head back?” Reigen asks. “Work tomorrow, you know?”

“Hm…” Serizawa is looking at Terror, thoughtful. “You can, if you want to. I’ll stay here for a little while longer.”

Reigen opens his mouth, then closes it again. He ponders what to say, what to do next, because he isn’t very keen on going back alone, but it isn’t his place to tell Serizawa what to do. They aren’t at work, after all. Right now, they interact as _friends_ rather than the employer and the employee. He breathes in sharply through his nose.

“Okay, I’ll stay, too.”

The look on Serizawa’s face is that of blatant surprise, but it melts into something softer that makes Reigen swallow thickly. He takes a few steps back, sitting down in the grass and fishing for one of his Poké Balls. He finds Arcanine’s, then casts another glance towards Serizawa and Terror and just hopes Terror won’t feel threatened enough to attack.

To his relief, the Pokémon just tenses a little and gives a warning growl when he lets Arcanine out. Arcanine eyes it, but doesn’t do much else but plop down onto his belly so Reigen can lean back against his side.

They sit there for a long time, the moonlight casting them in an ivory glow. Reigen feels like he could fall asleep there. He turns his eyes to Serizawa and Terror, who have both settled onto the ground as well. Terror is resting its head against the ground, front legs tucked under its chest, eyes closed.

“It’s comfortable with you,” Reigen thinks out loud. Serizawa blinks at him. “I wonder why.”

Serizawa looks down at Terror, then back to Reigen. “Maybe it’s because I…” He pauses, thinks on his words for a few moments. “I think I’m a lot like it is.”

“Which is…?”

“Tired. Scared. Hurt. But… healing. And it doesn’t have to be lonely anymore.”

Reigen doesn’t know how to respond, so he just nods and tilts his head back to look at the stars.

They open work late the next morning.

 

\---

 

It’s been a month and a half since Shigeo’s last encounter with Claw, a month and a half since a strange Pokémon of unknown origin had found itself in his care. And he hasn’t told anyone about it, at least, not too many people; just his Master, Serizawa, his brother, and now recently, Teru. He’s been considering telling Ekubo soon, because the man has expressed concern over Shigeo’s well-being as of late-- at least, in his own roundabout way.

For Budo’s sake, he tries to keep it hidden. Sometimes, he lets it out in his room at night to feed it after feeding the rest of his Pokémon. It always eats everything in its bowl, and then happily devours the pink Poké Puff Shigeo gives it afterwards. But despite everything, he still doesn’t know much about Budo. He doesn’t know what species it is, where it came from, why Claw had it in the first place, if there’s more than one of it. Recently, he deduced that it was a Poison-type, mostly due to it panicking and attacking Teru’s Pikachu the first time it met him.

Speaking of Teru, he walks with the other boy now through the streets of the city. It’s getting late, they should be getting home soon even though it’s the weekend, but Teru had practically dragged him out of his home earlier, insistent that he come along with him. They mostly just walk, stop to get ramen, and Teru is the one that does most of the talking. As usual, which is fine, because Shigeo likes listening to him.

He doesn’t really know what they are, but he knows Teru gives him a warm feeling in his chest that reminds him of what Tsubomi-chan had made him feel once upon a time. Neither of them have… talked about it. It will come up eventually, of course it will, but Shigeo isn’t entirely sure how to broach the subject.

They take a shortcut through a park, and it’s there that he feels Teru’s hand brush his own and he considers taking hold of it.

“Kageyama-kun,” Teru says. “How is Budo? And you? No one’s bothered you?”

There is an edge to Teru’s voice, something concerned, something protective. Shigeo smiles a little bit.

“We’re fine. No… no one has bothered me.” Yet. He can’t shake off the feeling that something might happen, be it sooner or later. But maybe Claw hasn’t noticed the missing Pokémon, maybe there’s already so many that one missing wouldn’t matter too much.

“You know, if there’s any trouble, you have me on your side.” Teru runs a hand through his hair. “Not to say I don’t trust you to take care of yourself! I know you’re definitely more than capable. But I--” The other boy breathes in, then shakes his head. “Well, it doesn’t matter.”

They find themselves settling down on a bench. Shigeo curls his hands in his lap.

“It matters,” Shigeo says. “I mean, what you have to say. It matters.”

Teru tilts his head with a little smile, then laughs. “I know.”

“Then… you should say it.”

“Demanding, huh? I just wanted to say,” Teru stretches his legs out. “I worry, sometimes. About you.”

“Ah… you don’t have to,” Shigeo replies. “I’m okay.”

But he feels Teru touching his elbow gently, that touch then moving down to his wrist. Shigeo’s fingers twitch, and suddenly their hands are joining against his leg. He lets it happen, and his heart flutters a little bit.

“You could still be in danger,” Teru points out and his grip tightens just a little at the thought. “I’m happy to throw around anyone that shows up.”

“Thank you, Hanazawa-kun,” he continues. “But really, you don’t have to worry.”

Teru laughs a little breathlessly, scooting closer to Shigeo’s side until there’s barely any room left between them. Shigeo doesn’t mind the intrusion of space, not if it’s Teru, and he lets Teru tilt his head against his shoulder. It’s comfortable, warm, and even though he knows he should get back home soon before his parents and Ritsu worry, he’s fine with just sitting there in peaceful silence for a few minutes, the only sound being that of cars in the distance.

“Hello! Good evening, sorry for interrupting such a precious moment.” The source of the voice comes from up high, perched on a streetlamp, silhouetted against the night sky. The figure’s posture remains lax, one hand in the pocket of his pants, the other on his chin like he’s _thinking._

“Who are you?” Teru is on guard immediately, pulling his hand away from Shigeo's. Shigeo recognizes that aura, that figure, the power rolling off of him. Their confrontation was brief, ending in the man disappearing after growing _bored._ A sick, twisting feeling grows in his belly.

From somewhere behind him he can sense something creeping through the darkness, all sharp edges and pointed teeth, gemstone eyes glinting and gleaming like the stars above. Shigeo’s hand slips into his pocket, curling around one of his Poké Balls.

“Ah, no one important, don’t worry, don’t worry.” And in the light of the moon, the dingy glow of the streetlamp, both eyes crack open; twisting black holes, devoid of anything. The Cheshire grin looks like it could split the stranger’s face in two. “I’d introduce myself, but I’m afraid you have something I need.”

 

 **PROGRESS TOWARDS MOB’S EXPLOSION:** 45%

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BIG sorry for the timeskip at the end - if i covered that entire amount of time it'd make things pretty boring!
> 
> i don't want to reveal touichirou or shimazaki's entire teams yet (you'll have to wait 'til next chapter for shimazaki's!) but yes, touichirou has a houndoom while shimazaki has a sableye.
> 
> ekubo's team: gengar, spiritomb, banette, dusknoir, gourgeist, cofagrigus  
> teru's team: pikachu, bruxish, ampharos, cacnea, alola vulpix, roserade
> 
> in case you might have missed the edit in last chapter's end notes, and are confused about budo and terror: budo is a poipole, and terror is a type: null!
> 
> i really appreciate the love this has been getting via twitter and comments! thank you all so much! i really love this au and writing it so much already!
> 
> thanks for reading!
> 
>  
> 
> [twitter](http://twitter.com/zhamusiel)  
> [tumblr](http://hellfirecitadel.tumblr.com)


	4. nasty plot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You know, cooperating will make this much easier for you both,” and then his eyes snap open again with a flash of red and his aura is suddenly _suffocating._ “And so much less painful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fair warning i'm not the best at writing action/fight scenes but i...did my best...!

“Something you need?”

The air is crackling with tension and with thick psychic energy, permeating around the three espers. Teru’s voice is incredulous, and his movements are slow as Shigeo watches him reaching into his bag. “Or something you want?”

The man tilts his head and his smile widens almost impossibly more. “You wouldn’t understand. Besides,” and he’s looking directly at Shigeo now, as if he can actually _see_ him, “I was talking to someone else.”

Behind him, he hears a chittering, cackling sound and Teru is sending out his Pikachu before the Sableye can make a swipe with pointed claws at Shigeo. He aims to hit it with an Iron Tail, but narrowly misses as the Ghost-type swiftly jumps out of the way.

Shigeo knows; knows what this man wants. Budo’s Ball is still tucked safely in his own bag, but he needs to get it out of here as quickly as he can, yet he doesn’t want to leave Teru to deal with the man on his own. Because he’s fought him, he knows how powerful he is, he knows that despite Teru’s own strength he wouldn’t be able to take him on alone and at that moment he finds himself torn. Does he stay and help Teru, someone very dear to him, or does he make a run for it and take Budo with him?

 

 **PROGRESS TOWARDS MOB’S EXPLOSION:** 48%

 

“I don’t know what you want,” Shigeo lies through his teeth. Teru is standing now, and nearby Pikachu and Sableye are exchanging blows without even being commanded. The man laughs ( Shigeo thinks hard to remember his name, the brief introduction he had given him before their first confrontation ), eyes falling shut again.

“The UB. You don’t have to lie. You know, cooperating will make this much easier for you both,” and then his eyes snap open again with a [flash of red](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLasbv15Eys) and his aura is suddenly _suffocating_. “And so much less painful.”

Teru acts first, his air whips materialize but he hardly has time to strike before the man ( Shimazaki, Shimazaki was his name ) disappears from his perch and suddenly reappears behind him, slamming his foot into his back and sending him hurtling far across the park.

“Hanazawa-kun--!” And Shigeo leaps to his feet, throws his barrier up before Shimazaki can strike but his fist breaks through it like it were flimsy glass, hitting Shigeo square in the face. Yet, he keeps a tight hold on his bag. The taste of blood fills his mouth. When they first fought, Shigeo was able to dodge his attacks, land a few of his own, but now he was caught off guard. Now, he has something in his care he desperately is trying to protect. Now, he has Teru to worry about.

 

 **PROGRESS TOWARDS MOB’S EXPLOSION:** 55%

 

“Pikachu!” Teru’s voice suddenly rings out. “Thunderbolt!”

The rodent is leaping over Shigeo then, surrounded by glowing, electric energy, which it then releases. It hits where Shimazaki was standing just seconds before, but the man had teleported out of the way before it could hit.

“Sableye, Power Gem, now,” Shimazaki snaps from somewhere off to the side, but then he’s gone all over again and Shigeo’s mind is rapidly beginning to catch up with everything that’s going on. He pushes himself to his feet. Pikachu is knocked to the side by Sableye’s attack, skidding across the ground. The Pokémon already looks so beaten down and it’s a reminder just how powerful this man is-- both he _and_ his Pokémon. Teru’s team is no match, nor is Shigeo’s, but their powers combined…

His aura begins to glow, but Teru is suddenly at his side and grabbing his shoulder. “Run! Take it with you! I’ll handle this!”

But then there is a hand in both of their hair, yanking their heads back, and a voice in their ears. “Make this more entertaining for me.”

They’re then hurled across the park as if they weigh nothing. Teru is on his feet immediately, followed by Shigeo. They remain mostly unscathed from the impact, but he can tell Teru is a bit frazzled and that his temper is about to get the best of him, because Teru _hates_ losing.

“Hanazawa-kun,” Shigeo says, frantically, his teeth beginning to chatter. “I can’t run. You’ll--”

“Kageyama-kun, please just--”

He can’t finish the sentence because Shigeo is turning on his heel suddenly, lashing his hand, glowing and crackling with his aura, and sending a wave of psychic energy. Shimazaki, who had been coming up behind them, jumps almost gracefully out of the way and disappears again. Then he’s right in front of them, kicking his leg out, and Teru is slammed aside. He disappears again, grabs Teru by the nape and his other hand connects with his gut, sending him flying into the air. Shimazaki appearing beside him, his leg connecting with his ribs, each blow more brutal than the last.

Teru hits the ground hard, coughing out blood, and then Shimazaki is nowhere in sight.

“See, you can try to hit me as much as you like,” Shimazaki says, but Shigeo can’t pinpoint his location despite hearing his voice until he’s right beside him, murmuring into his ear, “But you won’t be able to get a single blow in. That’s too bad, you did pose a challenge before.” And he attempts another blow that Shigeo narrowly avoids before he’s out of sight again.

Pikachu is suddenly flying across the park and landing in front of Teru, unconscious and Teru, who is shakily rising to his feet, gasps and calls it back before fishing around for another Ball.

“Stop, Hanazawa-kun, you can’t,” Shigeo begins to protest, but Teru gives him a piercing stare from across the park.

“I said _go_!”

 

 **PROGRESS TOWARDS MOB’S EXPLOSION:** 61%

 

Shigeo knows if he stays and fights they have a chance, but Teru is adamant on him running, on him leaving, and his Master’s words echo in his head. _It’s okay to run away._ But is it okay in this instance? When they’re being so brutally, viciously attacked? Shigeo can feel himself trembling. He doesn’t know, he doesn’t _know_. He clutches his bag close to his front.

Teru’s Roserade is sent out, and this time it seems to be an equal match for the Sabeleye--or maybe the Sableye has been worn down enough from its fight with Pikachu. While it goes after the Ghost-type, Shigeo takes a step back, then another. Then Shimazaki is there again, grabbing him in a headlock from behind.

“What happened to all that power from before?” The man says. “If you really want to protect it, then stop holding back.”

It takes a few hits for the Sabeleye to go down, and as it collapses Shigeo releases a wave of energy that sends Shimazaki skidding a few feet back, obvious surprise etched across his face.

Then Shimazaki laughs a loud, sharp laugh. In the blink of an eye, Sableye is called back and Shimazaki has another Ball in his hand.

“I don’t need Pokémon to beat you,” he says, “But, if you insist.”

And the Ball is tossed into the air. Hovering before the two boys is a massive dragon with three heads and gnashing teeth. The center head is the only one with eyes, glowing red, and the look on its face can only be described as _bloodlust_ and the boys realize then that they can’t fight, not like this. Mob knows that if he goes all out then there is a chance, but it leaves Budo more vulnerable.

“Hydreigon. Dragon P--”

With no warning, something-- some _one_ is appearing out of nowhere and slamming Shimazaki into the ground with their hand on the back of his head, sending a small shockwave across the park. Hydreigon goes down as well, knocked aside by a heavy tail glowing blue.

Teru, wide-eyed, says, “Isn’t that--”

Serizawa lets go of Shimazaki’s head, takes a few steps back, and his attention turns to the boys. His Dragonite looms over Hydreigon’s unconscious form. “Are you two o--”

He has no time to finish his sentence, because Teru tries to strike at Shimazaki while he’s down, but Shimazaki is disappearing and reappearing in front of him, his fist connecting with his chest and sending him crumpling into the ground, eyes unfocused before they fall shut. Then he swings his leg, aiming to hit Serizawa in the face.

Shigeo stares as Serizawa catches Shimazaki by the ankle and tosses him aside as if he weighed nothing.

“Serizawa-san, we need to go,” Shigeo says. “Hanazawa-kun…”

 

 **PROGRESS TOWARDS MOB’S EXPLOSION:** 70%

 

“I know. I know.” Serizawa glances over to where Shimazaki is shakily getting onto his hands and knees and he frowns. Bending over, Serizawa effortlessly scoops Teru up into his arms. “Call his Pokémon back, fast.”

There is only a few second window for Shigeo to find Roserade’s Ball and call it back, and when he does he grabs Teru’s bag from the ground, before Shimazaki is on his feet again.

Yet… the man doesn’t attack. There are bruises and scrapes on his face, his bottom lip split and bleeding. He wipes the blood away with his sleeve, nose wrinkling at the taste. Shigeo does not know what he’ll do then, because he doesn’t look poised to strike even though he can see the tension in his body.

“Serizawa, there you are,” he laughs, almost bitterly. “I’ve been looking all over for you. The… _President._ Well, he isn’t too happy, you know!”

“I don’t care about that now,” Serizawa snaps. He’s quickly guiding Shigeo onto Dragonite’s back and settling behind him, Teru between them so the unconscious boy won’t slide off. “Tell him he doesn’t control me anymore.”

Shimazaki calls back his Hydreigon. The smile on his face isn’t as big as it was before and his grip on the Poké Ball is almost white-knuckled. “You say that,” he begins. “But, Serizawa, do you really mean that?”

And before Serizawa can reply, the other man is gone.

They don’t wait to see if he returns. Dragonite flaps her wings, creating heavy gusts of wind, and rises from the ground into the night sky. She speeds away, and Shigeo leans forward with one arm around her neck and his other still holding his bag tight. Teru is heavy against his back.

“Where are we going?”

“My apartment.”

 

\---

 

Teruki Hanazawa lies, still unconscious, upon Serizawa’s bed. Serizawa wipes at his face with a warm, wet washcloth, and Sentret is curled up against the boy’s side, offering her warmth for comfort. Pikachu, recovering from his own wounds, is pressed against Teru’s other side. Mob has been sitting in a chair across the room with his bag still held tightly, gaze cast downward, and Serizawa is worried. He already cleaned off the other boy’s own scrapes, but he wasn’t in as bad a condition as his friend was.

“I could’ve done something,” Mob says softly. “I fought him before. I could’ve…”

“Don’t blame yourself,” Serizawa says. He smooths Teru’s hair back to feel his forehead. The skin is almost burning to the touch. A fever. Teru shivers but otherwise doesn’t stir from his unconscious state. “You wouldn’t have been able to. Not this time. I worked with him for a long time. You’re strong, Kageyama-kun, but he’s…”

“Hanazawa-kun is hurt, I still could have at least…”

“Kageyama-kun. Don’t blame yourself for something that isn’t your fault.” Serizawa’s voice is firm, and he leaves Teru’s side to walk across the room to where Mob sits. He still looks shaken up, there is a tremble in his hands, and even when Serizawa kneels in front of him he still gives Mob enough space that he won’t feel trapped, or uncomfortable. He must be overwhelmed with worry. “He’ll be okay. He just needs a little time to recover.”

It was lucky he got there when he did. He had gone out to a bar per the request of some of his friends after class and had been planning to take a shortcut through the park, where he heard a commotion up ahead. Shimazaki had been too distracted to notice him approaching, and he acted _quickly_ when he saw him and the two familiar boys.

He reaches a hand out but pauses, “Can I touch you?”

Mob nods shakily. Serizawa rests his hand on Mob’s shoulder, giving it a gentle pat. The boy sags back into the chair.

“Do you know why he attacked you in the first place?” Serizawa finally asks after a few moments of silence. He has his suspicions. Briefly, his eyes flick down to the bag in Mob’s lap.

“He said,” Mob begins, takes in a shaking breath, then continues, “I have something he needs.”

“Something he needs?”

Mob looks down at the bag. “Budo. They figured it out.”

The boy looks back up. There is growing distress in his eyes, he looks ready to explode, and Serizawa leans further in and gathers him closely to his chest, hoping the contact will be more comforting than overwhelming. To his relief, Mob goes almost limp in his arms but moves one arm to hug Serizawa around the back.

“It’s in danger now,” the boy says weakly into his shoulder. Serizawa notes Mob’s lack of concern over himself, all his focus on that mysterious Pokémon, on Teru, but never any for himself. It reminds him of himself, or what he used to be like, how he still could be sometimes. He releases Mob from his embrace and leans back, still settled onto one knee.

“It’ll be safe. So will you. Reigen-san and I will protect you.”

“No, that’s just putting you both in danger, and he said- he said he was looking for you, too. I can’t…” Mob squeezes the bag tight. “I can’t let both of you get hurt because of me.”

Serizawa frowns. “Then, what will you do?”

“I don’t know.”

A pause. “Do you want me to call Reigen-san?” He was only a few doors down, after all, and should be home from work. He might very well be asleep by now, but Serizawa figures if he explains the situation well enough it will be enough to get him out of bed and to come over.

“Yes,” Mob says, voice barely above a whisper.

Serizawa nods and finds where he placed his cell phone on the bedside table. He finds Reigen in his contacts and presses the call button. It rings a few times, then there’s a rustling sound on the other end and a groggy voice, _“Hello? Serizawa?”_

“Sorry for waking you up, Reigen-san. Er, could you come over?” He bites his lip, then continues, “It’s urgent.”

_“What is it?”_

“You’ll see when you get here.”

 _“Okay. Give me five.”_ Then Reigen hangs up, and Serizawa sets his cell phone aside again. An anxious hand runs through his hair.

“He’s coming over in a few minutes, Mob. Do you want a glass of water?”

Mob isn’t looking at him, but he still nods. “Okay.”

By the time Serizawa has filled up a glass with cool water and brought it to Mob, there’s a knock on the door. He leaves the two boys to make his way across the apartment, his footsteps quiet, and he unlocks and opens the door.

Reigen didn’t bother changing out of his pajamas, still in his grey sweatpants and sweatshirt but looking a little chilly in the autumn night. He must have been in a hurry, his hair isn’t even brushed, but his face is still soft from drowsiness and he lacks his usual bravado, making him look rather _vulnerable_. Serizawa wonders if he even has the right to see him like this and he might have even blushed if it weren’t for the situation at hand.

“Come in,” Serizawa says, stepping aside. Reigen removes his shoes at the door and steps in. He seems relieved at the warmth of the apartment.

“What’s going on?” Reigen asks, rubbing his tired eyes with his palms. Serizawa shuts the door behind him, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he thinks of how to explain the situation to Reigen. Because Reigen already has enough worry on his shoulders, and this would be so much more, but he deserves to know. Especially since this might end up involving the both of them as well.

 _I’m already involved,_ Serizawa thinks. _If the President is looking for me._

Serizawa, his voice low, explains the situation as best as he can to Reigen. It quickly drags Reigen out of his sleepy haze, his eyes shining with barely-concealed concern. There’s no need for him to hide his feelings here, this late, with everything going on. And it looks like he knows that. This is somewhere safe.

“They’re still here?” Reigen asks.

“Yeah. Come on,” Serizawa turns, making his way from the front door back to his room where the two boys still are. In his absence, Mob has drank half the glass of water and now sits on the bedside next to Teru, who has woken up already and is downing the rest of the contents of the glass, but is wincing with every small movement. Mob had finally let the bag go, still sitting on the chair where he was a few minutes prior, but now his hands are busy rubbing at the front of his shirt and he’s making soft clicking sounds with his tongue.

He looks up at the two men when he notices them enter.

“Master…” His voice is soft, he looks downcast. Reigen is brushing past Serizawa and sinking to one knee in front of Mob. It’s a small gesture, but one that means a lot; Reigen putting himself at an equal level to Mob rather than towering over him. “It’s late, I’m sorry.”

“Eh? That’s not your fault, Mob.” Reigen pats the boy’s arms. Mob continues rubbing at his shirt. “Serizawa told me what happened.”

“I could’ve done more,” Mob says. “Then Hanazawa-kun would have been okay.”

“I’m fine,” Teru speaks up. His voice is a little hoarse. “I thought I could win. I guess not.”

“You did what you could,” Serizawa says. “You’re both safe.” For now. Shimazaki is gone, for now. There is no threat in this little apartment, for now. They can’t find them here, for now.

Reigen rises, only to sit on the edge of the bed next to Mob. “What happened? Before Serizawa got there.”

“Some guy with creepy eyes attacked us,” Teru says before Mob can speak, clearly wanting to give the other boy a moment to rest. “He mentioned he had something he needs and called it a UB. I think he was talking about Budo.”

 _A UB?_ Serizawa thinks, and suddenly something in his mind clicks into place. The President had mentioned something before, about creatures that had been found in a region across the sea, finding their way into the world by holes torn through space and time itself. Those Pokémon -- or, something like Pokémon -- had almost run rampant on that region, threatening to leave destruction in their wake, but they were subdued by a few brave souls just in time.

And the President had them within Claw’s possession all this time? How? Does he not understand the danger that poses? Are they even able to be controlled?

If Budo is one of those UBs, who knows what it’s capable of? Yet, it seemed so young when Serizawa saw it, clinging onto Mob like a child, frightened of every little sound and movement. It seemed _harmless_. But clearly it was important enough that he would send _Shimazaki_ of all people to retrieve it.

“Well…” All eyes immediately turn to Serizawa, who rubs the side of his neck. “I remember the President saying something about UBs once, I think. But I never knew he had any. Or what they were. Or that he was… planning anything with them.”

“For someone that was part of his personal cadre, he didn’t let you in on a lot,” Reigen points out.

Serizawa frowns, looking away. And those words pick at a still fresh wound, reminding him that despite everything he wasn’t that important to Touichirou Suzuki in the end, regardless of what that man had tried to tell him. “I guess not.”

“So what’re we going to do?” Teru asks. “We can’t just sit around and wait for them to attack again.”

“What else can we do?” Reigen shoots back. “We don’t know where they’re hiding. So all we _can_ do is wait.”

“We just have to be watchful,” Serizawa suggests. “Look for any clues, if you can.”

Teru squints at Serizawa. He looks so tired, his fever obviously taking a toll on him. “You don’t know where they could be?”

“No. I’m sorry.” Claw had abandoned their old base after Mob had stormed it, after all. It wasn’t uncommon for them to do so, and he imagines it will be much harder to find their new base now.

“I think right now,” Reigen begins, “What you two need to worry about is getting home and getting some rest. I don’t want anyone’s parents chewing me out. Again.”

“Is it safe to send them home right now?” Serizawa asks.

“I think I’ll be fine,” Mob finally says, silent for a long time until now. “But Hanazawa-kun…”

“I’ll be fine, too,” Teru insists, but it’s very obvious that he shouldn’t be moving much at all. Reigen shakes his head.

“I’ll call a cab,” he says, rising to his feet.

Serizawa pauses, kneading at his bottom lip with his teeth. “No. I think it’s safer if… I can let them use Dragonite. She’s fast and she’ll keep them safe. They just need to direct her where to go.”

Reigen looks at Serizawa, then at the two boys, as if waiting for some kind of protest from them. But all Teru and Mob do is look at each other for a few moments and Mob gives a little nod. Teru smiles, tired.

“Sounds like a good idea,” Teru says.

So he clambers out of the bed and calls Pikachu back into his Poké Ball, and both he and Mob shuffle across the apartment with both men in tow, ever vigilant. While they’re pulling their shoes on, Mob turns to look up at Serizawa.

“Thank you, Serizawa-san,” he says. “For your help.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Serizawa replies. “I’m just glad you’re both safe. Just… be careful.”

“We will,” Teru says. “I won’t lose next time they come around.”

Serizawa wants to tell him otherwise but figures that maybe now isn’t the best time. So he just nods. The front door is opened and both boys step outside. Serizawa presses the button in the center of Dragonite’s Poké Ball and releases her, and both boys climb onto her back.

“See you soon,” he says to the dragon, patting her flank. And then with a flap of her wings, she’s taking off into the air and towards the lights of the city. He sighs heavily, turning back to the doorway where Reigen stands, watching him. He smiles weakly and walks back into the warmth of his apartment, shutting the door behind him.

They are silent for a few minutes. Serizawa quickly and efficiently changes his bedsheets, picks up the empty water glass to put it in the sink, and he lingers in the kitchen. Reigen leans against the doorframe into the room, looking thoughtful, looking… worried, understandably. They don’t need to speak, not now. There is nothing to be said and he thinks he enjoys the silence between them right now, not awkward, but peaceful and familiar.

“Do you want any tea, Reigen-san? Water?” He finally asks, blinking at Reigen from across the kitchen.

“No, thanks,” Reigen replies. “I should be heading back home soon, too.”

“All right,” Serizawa breathes. Maybe there’s a twinge of disappointment in his chest, but it’s easily brushed aside. He understands. It’s late, it’s been a weird night, he’s tired as well. He still needs to change out of his clothes, bathe, and eat something before he can sleep. Reigen had already been asleep when he called him over and he feels a little guilty for waking him up, but it was for a good reason. “Do you think they’ll be safe?”

“I have faith in Mob,” Reigen says, but it’s not really a proper answer. Serizawa decides to drop the subject for now, it’s something that can be discussed later. Maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day. But it will have to be soon, because now they know they’re being followed, watched, and danger can now be lurking behind every corner. Claw is ruthless, the President and the remaining Super Five even more so, and they won’t stop at anything to get what they want.

The silence, once comfortable, suddenly bears a little bit of tension. What kind of tension he doesn’t know, but his stomach starts to twist and his chest gets a little tight. When he looks away from Reigen and focuses instead on sipping at a glass of water, Reigen seems to decide it’s time to leave.

“Work tomorrow,” the other man says, walking towards the front door. Serizawa sets down the glass and follows close behind. “You can stay home, if you want. If you’re too tired after… everything.”

“No, I think I’ll come in. It’s better than sitting around and worrying.”

He sees Reigen give a little half-smile even though his back is mostly turned to him.

“I don’t have class tomorrow either. We can bring Terror out…” The Pokémon has eased up a lot in the past month, but is still rather jumpy and easily angered, but it hasn’t lashed out at any of their Pokémon as they’ve gradually begun to introduce them, one by one.

Reigen tilts his head. “Sure.”

He lets out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding and lets himself smile as well.

“Serizawa, before I go,” Reigen says, pulling his shoes back on. He looks exhausted when he turns to face him, but there’s something soft in his eyes. A gentleness that Serizawa doesn’t think he’s ever seen very often, and he doesn’t know what to think of it. “Thanks. For saving them, I mean.”

“I did what I had to do,” Serizawa replies, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. They’re close, he has to tilt his head downward to properly look Reigen in the eyes. One of Reigen’s hands is curled over his belly, into the fabric of his sweatshirt, and Serizawa considers taking it. He refrains. “I’m sure you would have done the same, Reigen-san.”

Something inscrutable passes over Reigen’s face and his eyes fall as he lets out a weak laugh. “Yeah, probably.”

“Reigen-san, don’t d--”

“Anyway.” Reigen lifts his hand quickly before Serizawa can take it and pats Serizawa’s shoulder a few times. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night, Serizawa.”

 

\---

 

When Shigeo gets home, his parents are already asleep, but he hears Ritsu moving around in his room. He must have worried them, but at the same time they’ve become used to Shigeo staying out late, be it because of his job or because of his friends -- and they’re just happy that he’s finally made friends, that he’s come out of his shell more.

At the front door, he pats at Dragonite’s neck and gives her a Poké Puff as a thank you before she takes off back to Serizawa’s home. Then he closes the door as quietly as he can and slips his shoes off, creeping upstairs and hoping the creak of the wood doesn’t wake anyone up.

He enters his room and sets his bag down, then sits down in front of the folded up shikibuton. He needs a bath, but he’s so tired he could just fall asleep right then and there. Shigeo rubs his eyes, yawns, and tries valiantly to forget that horrible feeling in his belly, to remember that Teru is safe, to remember none of it was his fault. But anyone could attack at any moment now. They somehow figured out he had Budo, and they know who he is, they could find him and his home and his family so easily.

There is a knock on the door of his room.

“Come in,” he says softly. The door opens a little, and his little brother peeks in through the crack before stepping inside entirely. His Umbreon follows him and proceeds to sniff about his room.

“Nii-san? You’re home late.” There is concern writ across Ritsu’s face immediately as he takes in Shigeo’s state, his clothes a little dirty and scrapes on his exposed skin. “What happened? Did…” And his face darkens. “Did you get jumped by high schoolers again?”

Shigeo just shakes his head as he sits there. “No, it’s not that, but…”

Ritsu is sitting next to him now. Shigeo contemplates on how to tell him, because he doesn’t want to lie to him but he doesn’t want to worry him at the same time. His thumbs twiddle where his hands are clasped in his lap. “When Hanazawa-kun and I were out, we were…” He pauses, breathes in, then continues, “Attacked.”

There is a dark aura rolling off of Ritsu in an instant. He reaches a hand out but pauses, waiting to see if Shigeo will pull away, but Shigeo remains still and allows Ritsu to take hold of his elbow and lean in.

“By?” He says, voice low.

“Claw.”

“They’re still around? They attacked you?”

“Just one. He was strong. He was looking for Budo.”

“But you beat him, right?”

“Not really.” Shigeo grimaces. “He was too strong, but I know I could have, but Hanazawa-kun kept telling me to go because I needed to protect Budo. Then…”

“Then?” Ritsu’s hold on his arm tightens. He looks like he’s ready to kill a man, and he probably _would_ if it weren’t for his brother.

“Serizawa-san saved us and scared him off,” he explains. “Don’t worry, Ritsu,” he adds quickly. “I don’t think he’ll be bothering us again for a while.”

“Are you sure?” _No._ “I can let Suzuki know.”

Ah, Suzuki. Shou Suzuki. Right. Shou would know all about Claw, since his father was their leader. But he actively opposed his father and was taking strides to strike him down. If anyone can help, it would be Shou, but his relationship with his brother’s friend is rocky at best. He doesn’t think Shou respects him-- because he doesn’t like to fight. He thinks his powers must be going to waste.

Still…

“If you think it will help,” Shigeo finally decides.

Ritsu lets go of his arm and smiles weakly. “Okay, Nii-san, but… be careful. If anything else happens…”

“I can handle it,” Shigeo insists. “It’s okay, Ritsu.”

“All right,” Ritsu doesn’t seem convinced, but it’s very much like him to worry over Shigeo’s well-being even if he knows Shigeo is strong. Maybe even stronger than all of them combined, but he doesn’t like to think of it that way. They’re all strong in their own ways. Shigeo knows he wasn’t able to get where he was alone. His brother pushes himself back up to his feet. “Get a bath and get some sleep, Nii-san.”

“I will. Thank you, Ritsu. Good night.”

“Good night.” And Ritsu is slipping out of his room, Umbreon in tow, and the door shuts with a soft ‘click’.

 

 **PROGRESS TOWARDS MOB’S EXPLOSION:** 80%

 

\---

 

“Sit _still_ ,” Minegishi practically snaps, dabbing at one of the scrapes on Shimazaki’s face with a [cool washcloth](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTBKGb5hUHY). It’s not like him to be gentle, much less take on the responsibility of taking care of one of the Super Five member’s wounds. But the boss had ordered it, said he didn’t want Claw’s healers to know that one of the organization’s best had been beaten.

When Shimazaki had reported to him about the failure to retrieve the UB, the boss’ voice remained indifferent and yet he could still sense the cool fury emanating from him. For the sake of avoiding it further ( because he was _not_ about to become a Scar, damaged goods ), he left out the fact that he had run into Serizawa. Or, well, that Serizawa had shoved his face into the dirt and tossed him aside like a sack of potatoes.

“Ow, ow, be a little gentler, Minegishi!” Shimazaki hisses as the dried blood is wiped away from his face. He squirms, despite Minegishi’s demands that he sit still, but all Minegishi does is grab his chin with one hand and pull his head to one side.

“If you sat still like I told you, it wouldn’t hurt as much.”

“Says the guy who didn’t get a face full of dirt.”

“Do you want me to get my plants to keep you still?” The other man threatens. “Because I will.”

That’s enough to get Shimazaki to sit stock-still, because he does _not_ want to be wrapped up in Minegishi’s vines. It’s happened once, it wasn’t a pleasant experience, so he’d rather not repeat it.

“The boss is going to be angry if he finds out you didn’t tell him about Serizawa,” Minegishi states after a while, his voice flat and indifferent as usual, but Shimazaki has learned how to figure out when Minegishi is at least a little concerned. It’s always just a subtle shift in his voice, or his breathing. It’s easy for Shimazaki to pick up on those things, because without his eyesight his other senses are heightened. And he wouldn’t have brought up the fact the boss would be angry with him if he didn’t care, even if it was only just a tiny bit.

Shimazaki gives a little laugh and then winces. “He’s mad at me anyway.”

“Feel lucky he didn’t make you a Scar.”

“Never felt luckier.”

Minegishi gives a little _tch_ but doesn’t comment further. He’s moved on to applying antibiotic ointment to the cuts and scrapes. It burns a little, but Shimazaki deals with it.

“If anyone asks,” Shimazaki begins. “I’ll tell them I tripped and fell. Pretty sure they’ll believe it. No eyes, you know.”

There’s a sigh. “Yes, I know.”

As Minegishi works, Shimazaki’s mind wanders back to the battle from the night prior. Right now, Sableye and Hydreigon have been returned to full health, and Sableye sits on the bench beside him, nibbling on a Poké Bean. It was a disappointing battle, to say the least, even if one of those boys had definitely put up a fight. The other, though… his aura was overwhelming, overpowering - he had fought him before, once, when he breached Claw’s old base, but why did that child hold back this time? Ah, was it because he was too focused on protecting something?

Is the UB that dear to him? It’s kind of amusing.

But Serizawa…

Serizawa was the one thing he wasn’t expecting. He didn’t even sense him coming. Too focused on his goal, perhaps, but Serizawa was also part of the Super Five for a reason. Considered the strongest of them all. That’s why the boss kept him closest. Shimazaki could hold his own against him, but he hesitated instead. He ran. Like a coward.

It had never been any secret he had a bit of a soft spot for Serizawa, found his naivety a little charming, his gentleness among so much harshness and violence intriguing. Maybe that’s why he ran. Minegishi probably knows that, Minegishi can read him like a book for _some_ reason and it’s a little annoying. Still, he doesn’t prod Shimazaki about it. He minds his own business, which he can appreciate.

“Is he sending you out next?” Shimazaki finally asks.

“Both of us.” There’s the sound of Minegishi shutting the first aid kit. Shimazaki rubs his sore jaw. “Shibata, maybe. Hatori is busy scanning the PC system for any signs of the other stolen Pokémon.”

 _The Type: Null._ Shimazaki had never met it himself, but he heard it was a brute. Kept locked away in a room designed specifically so it wouldn’t break free. Apparently the boss got it from someone all the way in the Alola region. Its purpose had to do with controlling the UBs, but they had to learn how to control _it_ first. Apparently it killed a few Claw members that tried to subdue it once when it nearly broke free of its confinements.

The man who stole it away was a scientist; they tracked him down with ease. And despite going through hours of torture, he never told them where he took the Pokémon.

 _I won’t let you hurt it anymore,_ he had said.

Shimazaki knocked him out with a kick to the head and they left him. He could very well be dead, but he doesn’t really care.

“Shut up,” Minegishi grumbles.

“Eh? I didn’t say anything.”

“You’re thinking too loud.”

“What, are you a telepath now?” Shimazaki snorts.

“No, but I can see it on your face.” Minegishi rises to his feet. Shimazaki hears him brush his hands off on his pants. “Don’t hold me back. If you screw up again, you’re on your own.”

“I’m not planning on screwing up again,” he replies, a little bitterly. He stands up as well, adjusting his jacket over his shoulders. There’s a little tug with small claws on his finger, Sableye silently asking for some kind of attention. Shimazaki pats it on the head and it lets out an appreciative chirp. “As if you would have done any better in my place.”

All that earns him is a click of the tongue. And then, “They’ll be expecting an attack now. Preparing for one. I _guess_ we’ll need to come up with a plan.”

Shimazaki slips his hands into his pockets and tilts his head back. He sighs. “I’m all ears.”

 

\---

 

They don’t go to the park this time. Instead, they head back to that [same field](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss0sJ2QxduA). Reigen’s gotten used to the walk by now, his back not aching as much, and Serizawa is always willing to slow down if he sees him lagging behind.

Nowadays, he finds himself watching Serizawa more than where he’s going. It almost makes him run into trees or street lamps multiple times. Actually, that happened once on the way to work. It was embarrassing. The only excuse he could think of is that he was daydreaming.

 

( _“About what?”_

_“Uh, lunch. I didn’t eat this morning.”_

_“That isn’t very healthy, Reigen-san.”_ )

 

But he just can’t help it, honestly! Serizawa seems so much more confident these days and it shows in his stride and it- it just draws Reigen in! Because it’s interesting! Serizawa is interesting, is all, and he’s Reigen’s friend and employee and that’s it. He has no other reason to stare at him for way too long. Are those even valid reasons to stare at him? He hopes Serizawa doesn’t notice, because it happens at work now, too. Ekubo, who has been visiting more frequently again, has certainly noticed and pokes at Reigen about it, much to his chagrin.

Ugh, okay, maybe he has a crush, but it’s small! And he’s not really… planning to _act_ on it. Wouldn’t that be a little unprofessional? He’s Serizawa’s boss. But he can’t stop thinking about those little touches Serizawa would give him sometimes. Guiding his hands to feel something, touching his arm, leaning over his shoulder to help him with something on the laptop; breath against his ear. And Serizawa’s hands are large, and warm, and he wonders how they’d feel wrapped around his waist. Or what his heartbeat would sound like with Reigen’s head on his chest. What his lips would feel like…

… Okay, yeah, he’s got it bad. _Really_ bad. Except he has no experience with serious relationships. Ekubo and him weren’t really romantic, it was mostly sex, and even then Reigen’s flirting was atrocious. He considers working on it in the mirror or something before even attempting to flirt with Serizawa. He asked him for drinks once but was turned down, much to his embarrassment, because Serizawa already had plans that day.

“Reigen-san,” Serizawa’s voice draws him out of his thoughts. He realizes they’ve reached the field already. “Are you okay? You look a little sick.”

“Yes, I’m…” Reigen coughs into his fist. “I’m fine, don’t worry.”

There is an odd look on Serizawa’s face-- maybe amusement? Reigen can’t really figure it out. He sits down in the grass while Serizawa pulls out Terror’s Ball. Sentret hops from her trainer’s shoulders and settles down comfortably in Reigen’s lap, and Reigen strokes the top of her head absentmindedly. Serizawa tosses the ball into the air, and Terror materializes in the beam of light, landing on all fours with a heavy _thump._

It shakes out its mane, its breathing heavy in its mask as usual, and surveys its surroundings as it usually does. It gives Reigen a piercing stare that makes him sweat a little, then turns all its attention to Serizawa, leaning into his touch as he strokes the crest on its head and its mane.

Reigen watches Serizawa’s hands, how gentle they handle the Pokémon, and his eyes move to Serizawa’s face. He’s smiling, gentle and soft, with affection glittering in his eyes. Reigen is staring again, he knows it, but he can’t help it. Can’t help but take in how the sun slants over Serizawa’s face and casts his dark hair in a golden glow, can’t help but notice the strong edge to his jaw covered in light scruff, the small lines at the corners of his eyes, the dimples pressing into his cheeks.

He looks away quickly, focusing instead on the Pokémon in his lap.

“Do you want to try petting it again?” Serizawa asks. This is the same routine as usual. Let Terror out, let Reigen try to bond with it, and then spend a few hours out here, or in the park, or wherever so it can stretch its legs. It at least seems to like some of Reigen’s Pokémon, but there’s still some tension between it and Arcanine. Maybe it sees Arcanine as more of a threat than the rest of his team.

“Okay,” Reigen sighs, because he’s not convinced today will be any different. Terror still doesn’t like him, and he’s really not sure why. Maybe it can sense that he’s kind of scared of it. At least he knows that if Serizawa is there then he’s safe from its anger.

He nudges Sentret out of his lap and pushes himself up. Serizawa keeps a hand held below Terror’s chin, or what they can assume is its chin due to its mask being in the way, and Terror turns its attention from him to Reigen. Reigen approaches slowly, like he always does; he reaches his hand out. Slowly. Just like Serizawa told him.

Then his fingertips touch the mask and he feels almost victorious until Terror snarls and attempts to headbutt his hand away.

“Ah! Calm down!” Serizawa exclaims, holding Terror back as best he can. Reigen falls on his ass in surprise, scrambles a few feet back, his eyes wide. Once there’s a generous amount of distance between them, the Pokémon relaxes. Serizawa is murmuring to it, Reigen can’t hear what he’s saying, but he continues petting it until it finally flops down onto its belly with a grumble.

Admittedly, he’s more than a _little_ disappointed. Sure, he might be scared of Terror, but he does harbor some affection for it, and he knows it’s important to Serizawa. “What am I doing wrong?” He asks, dejected. “You’d think after this long it might at least let me _touch_ it.”

“You have to be patient,” Serizawa says.

“Yeah, but it liked you immediately. Is there something about me that pisses it off? Yeesh…”

Serizawa is silent for a few moments, thinking. Then, “Well, you’re a little abrasive.”

 _You don’t have to be that honest!_ Reigen thinks bitterly.

He decides not to grace that with a reply and scoots a little further away. He decides to just flop onto his back and fold his arms behind his head, staring up at the bright blue sky and watching the few clouds that move past.

“Ah…” Reigen props himself up on one elbow then, grabs his bag, and fishes his Poké Balls out. One by one, he lets out his Pokémon, who quickly make themselves comfortable. Swablu floats lazily towards Terror and Serizawa, settling easily on top of the large Pokémon’s head and making herself cozy. Terror doesn’t seem to mind, it just lets out a low hum. Arcanine, with Meowth on his back, lies down on his belly at Reigen’s side, and he reaches up to scratch under his chin, while Sylveon curls up between them. Venonat busies himself with hopping through the field.

They stay like that for a while, in a surprisingly comfortable silence. Reigen feels like he could fall asleep out here, his eyelids heavy, and he nearly would have if it weren’t for movement off to his right. One eye cracks open, and he sees Serizawa settling down next to him. He lies down on his side, facing Reigen, watching him closely. A few feet behind him, Terror is still lying down with Swablu on its head while Buneary and Sentret sit on its back.

“Sorry, were you sleeping?”

“Almost,” Reigen replies. Drowsy, he meets Serizawa’s gaze, and then blinks a few times. Serizawa’s eyes are soft-- well, they’re _always_ soft, but somehow they seem even softer. It makes his heart flutter and cheeks warm and he _hopes_ that his blush isn’t too visible.

Serizawa doesn’t say anything for a while, just remains on his side with one arm folded beneath his head. Reigen almost dozes off again, but Serizawa speaks once more. “Just give it time, Reigen-san. I know it’ll like you eventually.”

“If you say so,” Reigen mumbles, rubbing his eyes with one hand. “It doesn’t look likely.”

Then suddenly there’s a hand taking his, callused but gentle fingers curling around his, and Reigen’s breath hitches. He turns his head to look at Serizawa again, questioning, but Serizawa just smiles.

“There are a lot of things to like about you, Reigen-san.” A pause. “Even if you’re a little abrasive.”

Reigen wishes he could argue, because truthfully he doesn’t really think there’s a lot to like about himself, but he doesn’t… feel like wallowing in his insecurity right now. Not with Serizawa looking at him like that. Not with their… hands joined, in the grass between them.

“Okay,” he sighs. “Okay, I believe you.”

And under the bright blue sky and afternoon sun, Serizawa’s hand in his is enough to keep him warm from the autumn chill that passes over the field.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *my booming voice* gay
> 
> i really hope that fight scene came out okay i was... stressing out over it a lot hahaaa but i'll get better at it the more i do it!!
> 
> i'm glad i'm finally being able to introduce more antag characters as well as characters like ritsu and (eventually) shou. i feel like i took too long to get there.
> 
> anyway, i said i'd reveal shimazaki's team this chapter. it's sableye, hydreigon, absol, greninja, weavile, and crobat.  
> minegishi's is carnivine, tangrowth, vileplume, tsareena, serperior, and ferrothorn.
> 
> thanks for all the support via social media and comments. it means a lot!
> 
> thanks for reading!
> 
>  
> 
> [twitter](http://twitter.com/zhamusiel)  
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